BRAVE FACE
by FictionallySpeaking
Summary: Rayna had made the mistake of taking the healthy silence for granted, stuffing their affections into the back of her mind for a time when she was ready...now she was left stumbling as she wondered why she'd waited. -DEACON/RAYNA-
1. Chapter 1

**N.B. I APOLOGISE FOR THE TEMPORARY DISAPPEARING ACT OF LATE...I thought a hiatus was appropriate, especially after LITTLE VOICE being my first piece...thank you for your paitence. For readers who are waiting for the LITTLE VOICE follow up...this is NOT it...it will be coming soon, most likely after this piece (I'm still not happy with how it looks and I don't want you to bother reading nonsense)..A friend put the idea for BRAVE FACE in my head and I was immediately drawn to it, completely sold on the challenge of writing this. So for the next little while, if people like it, I will continue. PLEASE PLEASE READ, REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK...It is because of you dear reader that I am writing at all and it's not nearly as enjoyable taking this journey by myself...I'm going to stop rambling and just let you read...I'm so excited to share it with y'all...**

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**DISCLAIMER: **Characters are copyright of NASHVILLE. I own nothing.

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**CHAPTER ONE**

Rayna threw her head back against the headrest in frustration as she sat in the passenger seat. She had stayed this way for a few good moments, unable to force herself to move. A sharp knock on the glass window rudely interrupted her thoughts and she swore. The last place she had expected Tandy to bring her had been the Country Club. Sneaking a look out of the corner of her eye she stifled a giggle as her sister stood impatiently, still knocking.

"Seriously? Rayna get out of the car."

Accepting defeat she complied, hesitantly unbuckling her seatbelt before she opened the door.

"See?...not that hard to do."

"Tandy the last place I wanna be right now is _here_." She replied, waving her hand in the direction of the main entrance as they began to make their way towards the building.

"Oh please, stop whinging."

"I'm not-"

"-The tabloids aren't causing nearly as much grief, the girls are settling and the tours been picking up…But somehow you manage to never get out of that damn house when you're home."

"What'd you mean?! I do too get out." Rayna defended, her eyes shooting in Tandy's direction. She returned an unconvincing look.

"Sweetie, you don't."

"I-" She started.

"-Name one time that hasn't been work related, mommy duty or a trip to the supermarket to stock up on comfort food." Tandy smirked, checking her phone as they walked. Rayna remained silent. "That's what I thought."

"You know what my life's been like lately. The tour, the girls, my new record...hell the divorce, Deac-" Rayna replied sensitively, clearing her throat as she stopped mid sentence and slowed her stride.

"I'm not denying any of that, but I am saying that you're not gonna get past any of it if you stay at home alone getting all dark and twisted inside." Tandy smiled, opening the door for Rayna. "That's just not healthy."

"I know that, I'm not stupid."

"Rayna all I'm asking for is lunch."

Rayna nodded, crossing her arms instinctively as she took in her surroundings. Her sister wasn't going to budge so arguing any further would be a mute point. These past few months had been an emotional whirlwind. Outwardly she appeared to be resolute and collected, inwardly it was a whole other story. The divorce and all the media attention had silently taken its toll, shredding her to pieces as she aimlessly tried to put it all back together. She wasn't even quite sure what needed fixing, but she knew that the way she was now was not how she wanted to stay. Suddenly aware that she had slipped out of conversation, Rayna refocused her attention.

"Wait here, I have to have a talk with those women at reception…if they think they can get away with not returning my calls...they have another thing coming…I won't be a minute." Tandy said as she walked away leaving Rayna alone in the foyer.

"Seriously? And you wonder why I hate this." She hissed, her eyes holding a steady glare.

Rayna began fiddling with the scarf she was wearing, ignoring the stares of onlookers as they passed by. She would kill Tandy for dragging her here only to leave her stranded once they'd arrived. Suddenly a laugh pierced the air and she froze, recognition catching her off guard. There was only one person who laughed like that. Deacon. Panic set in, where was he? Why was he here? Was she imagining it? Rayna began to spin, ears straining to listen as she moved.

Since Deacon's birthday she had been the one to keep the distance between them. Even when they spent most days together on the road, leaving unsaid unspoken had seemed to drive them further apart to a point where they weren't speaking at all, Avoiding him had not been her intention but it had been easier than unravelling the things they had both needed to hear, especially unravelling things in the mess she'd already managed to make. However, this healthy silence had started to catch up to her, running circles around the quiet resolve she had collected. The distance was beginning to agitate her and all she craved was his company. Deacon relentlessly invaded her thoughts and it scared her to admit that he was the only thing that seemed to be on her mind. Pride stopped her from picking up the phone to call him and admit she needed him, even when she seemed to talk about him every chance she got. It wasn't the calling him that was the problem. She was terrified that maybe after everything, she was the only one that felt this way. Pulled from her thoughts Rayna jumped when Tandy appeared next to her.

"Ok I get it we can leave if you want…clearly you're gonna be no fun if we stay." Tandy said, taking in Rayna's frazzled state. Quickly, Rayna shook her head as she fumbled for the right words.

"No, you said lunch so we're doing lunch."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"You're sure?" Tandy asked, studying her face.

"Come on." Rayna answered, impulsively dragging her by the hand as she headed towards the restaurant.

Country Club or not, if Deacon was here she was going to find him. This silent distance was overrated.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"You've hardly touched that." Tandy commented, looking at Rayna's plate.

"I'm not really as hungry as I thought I was." She replied, distracted by her surroundings.

"Mmhmm."

"What?"

"Nothing…you just seem _distracted_." Tandy answered, tilting her head as spoke. Rayna scoffed, shoving a forkful of salad into her mouth to shut her sister up.

Tandy began talking about a couple sitting to their left but Rayna tuned out, preoccupied with finding Deacon in the overcrowded room. Amongst the low hum of conversation and laughter that surrounded them she began to think she'd been imagining things. Disheartened she began tapping her fork, nodding as she listened to her sister talk. The tour started up again tomorrow which meant she only had to wait one more day and she'd put things right with Deacon, she'd tell him how she really felt.

"Don't you think?...Rayna?" Tandy asked.

"Hmm?"

Out of nowhere she suddenly spotted him in the distance, smile wide and eyes bright as he spoke. Rayna froze, the air ripped from her lungs. He was here. Deacon was really here. She swore, cursing the fact that she'd become a nervous wreck. Slowly he stood, lazily wandering in the direction of the restrooms. Before Rayna knew what she was doing she was making excuses and following after him.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Leaning against the wall opposite the entrance to the men's restroom, Rayna fidgeted, tugging at her sleeves. The anticipation alone was killing her and no amount of fiddling or rehearsing her words was easing the burning sensation inside. What had it been? 15 days? 3 weeks? She couldn't remember. With that Rayna looked up, catching Deacon's gaze as he walked out, stalling his step as he saw her.

"Hi." She whispered, gracelessly pushing off the wall.

"Hi." He replied, surprise heavy on his face as he stepped towards her.

"I thought you hated the Country Club."

"I thought you hated it too."

"I do."

"Is this something new you're trying? Harassing people outside of toilets?" Deacon joked, crossing his arms as he smiled.

"It's just something I'm trying out today."

"I'm sure." He mused, accepting her answer. They both laughed.

"What's wrong with you?" Rayna asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes as she took in his cheerful demeanour.

"What'd you mean what's wrong with me?"

"Something's different…._you_ seem different." She answered, promptly brushing the front of his hair as she sized him up. He reflexively pushed her hand away making her smile.

"Hardly…I took a shower this morning so that-" Deacon scoffed, amused at her comment.

"-No…that's not it…you just...seem different." She replied, grinning as she watched him get frustrated.

"Well people tend to look different when you don't see them for a while." He countered, immediately regretting his choice of words. Rayna looked the other way, smiling awkwardly as a man sidestepped them and walked back into the restaurant.

"Look I shouldn't have said-" He tried.

"-No you're right…"

Struggling for the right way to go about the conversation, both Deacon and Rayna found their eyes focusing on anything but one another.

"I'm sorry….about everything. Deacon I am." She hoarsely offered, still avoiding his gaze as she spoke.

"So am I." He replied, struggling to keep an even tone.

"There just needed to be space…I never…we needed space you know?"

"I know that…I just thought that when-" He answered, cutting himself off mid-sentence. "Ray I get it, you wanted space and I guess you got it…it's ok...I'm just glad that you aren't ignore-."

"I wasn't, I wasn't ignoring you."

"Well I'm glad…we're talking again."

Rayna was relieved to hear those words come out of his mouth, warmth returning within as she looked up at him. She had fully prepared herself for the words he rightly deserved to hurdle in her direction. Instead he had kept his heart covered and offered moving on in return. Rayna didn't understand it but there was no way she was going to argue his point. She cleared her throat, shaking the heaviness of the moment.

"You have no idea how relieved I am that that is over." She laughed nervously, flipping a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. Deacon nodded, acknowledging that he agreed as she continued. "I've hated this."

"So have I."

"Hey you never did tell me why you're here you know."

"You didn't ask…you just stalked me and waited out here...I mean who does that?" He replied, smiling sheepishly as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"I've done crazier things."

"Oh I know you have." He agreed, smiling unconsciously as she blushed.

"Deacon why are you here? You hate this place." She laughed.

"I like the food." He lied, leaning against the wall beside her as he watched her.

"You're such a liar." She exclaimed, whacking his arm. Deacon chuckled.

"You know what Ray, I think I best be going." He replied, slowly edging towards the door that led out to the restaurant.

"Oh no you don't." She countered, stepping towards him.

"Yes I do."

"Deacon come on, you're killing me!"

"Tour starts up again tomorrow yes?" He asked, diverting the conversation as he continued to step backwards. Rayna looked at him confused. "Well yeah, we fly out tomorrow and then have the Katie interview the day after remember?"

"Of course I remember."

"Mmhmm."

He grinned, quickly opening the door and stepping out before she could ask any more questions. Exasperated, Rayna ran her hands through her hair and collected herself before she moved to follow him out. Turning the corner Rayna nearly tripped over her feet as her eyes caught sight of what was ahead. At the restaurant entrance Deacon stood smiling as he pulled a blonde haired woman into his arms, his lips meeting hers as they embraced. The woman giggled, pushing him away as she grabbed his hand and led him out of the restaurant.

Rayna stood soundlessly, open-mouthed and gripped by surprise. The crashing of plates brought her back to reality as she looked around the restaurant. Aware that she held the attention of those seated around her she smiled uneasily, clenching her hands together as she pieced together what she had just seen. In a state of confusion she steadied herself and spun on her heel. Swiftly she retraced her steps, pushing one door after another until she finally sat alone in a toilet cubicle. Silence filled the stall and her hope crumbled as memories clouded her vision. Each one becoming a ruthless reminder, repeating and replaying themselves without giving her any say. The distance, the sleepless nights, the longing, the unspoken conversations, the months past without him, the way he had smiled at her just moments before and the kiss he gave somebody else that brought her undone.

"What the hell was that?" Rayna whispered, her voice wavering as she began to shake.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Rayna angrily kicked the gravel as she stood on the sidewalk staring up at Liam's front door. She had knocked several times and then stopped, thinking better of the desperation her excessive knocking may have indicated. She took a step back and noticed his car on the street and let out a low laugh. He was being cruel, leaving her out in the cold night air while he listened to her plead with him. Rayna swore.

Waiting still, she let her mind wander. After she had gathered enough strength to leave the safety of the restroom earlier today she'd practically dragged Tandy out of the restaurant. She had sat wordlessly on the drive home, her body still in shock. Initially Tandy had been too afraid to speak, aware of the tension that sat in the air. Rayna had been grateful for the silence. Deacon had a girlfriend, or at least someone he felt comfortable enough to get close and intimate with. He had kissed another woman today and she had stood awkwardly and watched. The surprise had stung, bitterness engulfing her disposition as she thought about it. Rayna tried to forget but her mind kept bringing her back around, paying attention to the details of the last few weeks. She began piecing together what she thought was a logical timeline of events, but doing this only made her thoughts more disorderly than before. Agitated, she eventually gave up and settled for Tandy's small talk.

Rayna waved her arms about and blew with all her might, letting her frustrations escape as she stared back at the closed door.

"Liam _please…_don't make me beg." She called, throwing her head back as she proceeded to mumble.

"Settle petal…women are so pushy…honestly." Liam joked, opening the door wide as he spoke.

"I'm not in the mood for your teasing."

"I opened the door when I clearly didn't have to."

"So you could hear me?" She replied, stepping past him.

"Hmm mostly, was gonna ignore you but the crazy knocking sounded kind of desperate."

Rayna shot him a look.

"Well you said to come on over whenever I wanna write." She answered, turning to face him once they'd made it to his home studio. "And I wanna write."

"On your last night of freedom…before we go back on tour you wanna write?"

"Why is that so hard to believe? We have a record to finish."

"That's all you're here for? The music?" He asked sceptically.

"Mmhmm, just the music."

"Alright."

"And the alcohol…I seriously need a drink."

**- NASHVILLE -**

**A half hour later**

"This is not working." She breathed, clicking a pen in one hand while she sipped her drink with the other.

"That's because you didn't come here to write..." Liam whispered, spinning on his stool so she couldn't hear him.

"I've got so much I want to say you know? I just don't know where to start or how put it to music."

Liam nodded, picking up his guitar to play aimlessly as she stared at a blank piece of paper. Rayna began to write but immediately hated her own choice of words, scrunching the paper up and throwing it viciously across the room. Taken aback, Liam bit his tongue to avoid laughing as he pretended to ignore her.

"It's so frustrating!" She exclaimed, pull at her hair as she ran her hands through it.

"Everyone get's their fair share of writer's block. You of all people should kno-" He started.

"-Why now?!"

"Why what?"

"He probably didn't even plan on telling me." She muttered, ignoring his question. "…Make me look like an idiot when it all came out on tour…I thought we were final-."

"-If you're gonna whinge you've gotta let me know what you're talking about."

"Deacon..He's-" She started, abruptly standing before she began to pace. "I'm talking about Deacon."

Liam grit his teeth, smiling, as he understood where her rage was coming from. "I should have known."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You get this look…when you're talking about him. It's kind of funny actually-"

"-I do not have a look."

"Yes you do." He corrected, smirking as he continued. "You had that look on your face when I opened the door, you've been doing it while you sat brewing on that couch…and you're got it now."

Rayna glared, swearing at him as she continued to pace. He let out a low laugh, revelling in the fact that she knew he was right.

"You both need to sort out you're priorities I tell you…. coming to me for relationship advice so early on-" He pointed out, shaking his head in disbelief.

"-Hold up. Deacon and I are _not_ in a relationship."

"Oh come on!" He scoffed. "Don't insult me by lying about it. I thought making half a record with you at least warranted a little honesty. We're like practically married in a musical sense…no disrespect to Deacon."

"Liam, Deacon and I aren-" She pushed, crossing her arms.

"-Fine, lie about it. I know the truth." He pushed, entertained by her growing anger.

"If we were together, which we're not…he didn't seem to mind kissing someone else today." She spat, eyes wide as she waited for a reply. Liam sat quietly. "Blonde headed, giggling-"

"-So it's Juliette then."

"It wasn't Juliette."

"Was she pretty?"

"Really?" She scoffed, keeping her gaze on him as she continued to pace.

"I think I've hit a nerve…clearly you don't agree with this."

"No I don't."

"So…there's nothing between-"

"No."

"Well…" He replied sceptically.

"We might have history-"

"-Didn't he get you all hot and bothered in an elevator not so long ago?…don't forget that." Liam pointed out, enthusiastically spinning on his chair.

Rayna blushed, her body reliving the moment his lips had touched hers, the passion with which he drove her back hard into the elevator wall and the way she had willing responded to him. Liam watched curiously, clicking to get her attention.

"Yeah well…it was just a kiss…that's all." She replied, forcing herself to believe her own words.

"Could have fooled me."

"There isn't anything going on between us."

"You do realise everyone on tour thinks you're sleeping together."

"That's ridiculous."

"I'm serious."

Rayna tilted her head, tight lipped as she resolved to stay quiet.

"So you're single now and you've chosen not to date him…for whatever reason I don't know." He slowly clarified. Rayna swore, annoyed that it had taken him this long to take the conversation seriously. "But you're mad that he's seeing someone else."

"No!" She lied, immediately regretting the desperation in her tone.

"I do not understand you." He shook his head. "I'm happy for the guy…at least he'll be in a better mood these days." Rayna glared at him making Liam laugh. "You sure are jealous for someone who doesn't care."

"I am not!"

"Didn't anyone teach you not to lie?"

"I'm not jealous. I'm not."

"Mmhmm...Why don't you try that again and actually sound like you believe what you're saying."

"Go to hell." She scoffed, picking up her glass and finishing the drink.

"Rayna what else was he supposed to do if you weren't giving him anything to go off of?" You can't blame him for dating someone. You can't." Liam offered, leaning over his guitar as he spoke earnestly.

"I didn't think he'd start seeing someone else…not like this…I thought he'd wai-" She choked, kicking the carpet as she avoided his gaze.

"Like he'd waited for you all those years?"

"That was different."

"Not really."

Rayna grit her teeth and looked at the ceiling. She knew Liam was right but she couldn't shake the sense that everything about it felt so wrong. She had counted on finally being able to talk down the walls they'd made to protect their hearts from one another. Rayna had counted on him keeping her grounded once they went out on tour again. She had counted on more than this; she hadn't counted on him walking away. This road was untraveled and foreign to her. He had always been the one left waiting and now the tables were turned. She'd taken the distance for granted and stuffed their affections into the back of her mind, keeping it there for a later time. That had clearly been her mistake and now she was left stumbling, desperately trying not to fall as she picked up her pieces.

Rayna shivered, finally feeling the things she was certain Deacon would have felt all those years she had gone to bed in the shelter of arms that were not his own. The constant craving to be close to the one person you know is now keeping their heart with another was tearing at her insides. She hated this and refused to let her heart know what her head was screaming. If he had moved on, where did that leave them? Where did that leave her?

"Whatever you've got going on Rayna…you're gonna need to sort it out." Liam continued, her head shooting in his direction when she noticed that he'd been talking to her. "We've flying out tomorrow and then there's the Katie show the day after…the last thing we need is you and Deacon ripping a good one while we're on live television."

"It'll be fine." She replied, pondering her own words.

"Will it?"


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Tossing her hair, Rayna stole one final look at herself before she walked out of the dressing room and into the busy corridor. Timidly she followed the traffic, sidestepping people as she tried to remember where someone told her the green room was. She smiled when she heard familiar voices. Bucky was talking with Liam when she wandered in. She did a quick scan of the room, no Deacon and Juliette. Rayna relaxed, breathing a little easier.

"Well hello there." Bucky smiled.

"Be a little more excited! It's Katie Couric!" Liam added sarcastically, waving his hands in the air.

"Hey I'm only doing this because my manager said it'd be good publicity…does not mean I have to like it." She countered, grinning as Bucky threw his hands up in the air in surrender.

"Looks like you're not in her good books Bucky." Liam replied grimly, shaking his head as he caught Rayna's gaze.

"When am I ever?" Bucky laughed.

Rayna scoffed and walked over to a table of refreshments, picking up a water bottle as Bucky and Liam slipped back into conversation. She looked up at a small TV screen that was plastered with Katie Couric's face. Rayna assumed that it was screening what was happening right at this moment and she tuned it out, sinking deep into the thoughts that were sitting heavy on her mind.

Since the Country Club, Rayna had spent each night wrestling with her sheets, thinking about Deacon. She had thought about the way he would smile at her in secret, the way his eyes said more than his words did and the way he had touched her, driving her up against the elevator wall before he kissed her. Memory after memory had invaded her mind and she had tossed and turned, letting each one pull her through to the other side of the evening as she reminded herself she'd be seeing him soon.

Now that the day was finally here, the last person she wanted to be around was him. She couldn't think straight, her thoughts a disorderly chaos. He had called her several times this morning but she hadn't answered, staring numbly at her cell phone as she let it ring out. Rayna knew he was only calling to check up on her but it was herself she couldn't trust, at least not now anyway. She was in no place to speak the things she held so tightly within, especially when she didn't know what she wanted to say. She knew her words would betray her and have her unravelling, saying things she knew she'd regret the moment he said her name.

All her confusion was intertwined with her every emotion and she couldn't quite figure out what it was she felt. Who was she kidding when she said she believed everything would be ok? She must have been in a place of deep denial when she had spun that story. The harsh reality of his lips touching someone else's made her squirm. Rayna desperately wanted to hate him for giving himself so freely to someone else, but deep inside she knew she couldn't help but still want him all the same. Was this what Deacon found himself doing not so long ago, over analysing each notion and emotion till he was spent? She laughed at the cruel joke their hearts liked to play on them. They had perfected the art of being so close yet so far from one another and it killed her. Rayna swore, her heart was really getting the better of her.

Focused on her own thoughts, she hadn't noticed Deacon and Juliette arrive. When Deacon appeared next to her she jumped, terrified he would know she had been thinking about him. Instantly, the vulnerability that she had worn moments before was replaced with anger. Her heart might have become an emotional ruin and sworn her to silence but her head knew enough to know that she wasn't ok with Deacon moving on. Irritated, she fumbled to keep a hold on the bottle she was holding and he laughed, lightly bumping into her.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you like that."

"You didn't." She replied evenly, surprised at her cold tone. She unscrewed the lid on the bottle.

"How was the flight out?"

"Fine."

"I thought you'd be flying with us…I called…you didn't answer."

"I know."

"Liam and Juliette seem to be getting along a hell of a lot better these days." Deacon tried, looking over at Liam and Juliette as he sensed the brewing tension.

"Yeah well, sometimes people surprise you."

"That they do."

"Don't let it fool you…once you get to that place where things are looking like they're getting better…it only takes a second for everything to come tumbling down."

"Something tells me we're not talking about Liam and Juliette."

"Why do you say that?" She replied, smiling through her teeth as she avoided his eyes.

"I'm saying it because I know you…I know when your words say one thing and mean another."

"Really? Well-" She said flatly.

"-Rayna you look like you're about to slap me."

"Deacon I'm really not in the mood for an argument."

"And you think I am?" He exclaimed, lowering his voice as he stood in front of her, shielding the conversation from the room of people. "Look if this is about walking out the other day...I was just joking wit-"

"-Of the restroom? It's really not abou-"

"-Rayna, what have I-" He demanded, his volume intensifying.

"-People are watching us." She shushed, gripping the water bottle tighter as she held a steady glare.

"What the hell is going on?"

"I'm done talking about it."

"Done? We haven't even started." He shot.

"People are watching us." She angrily repeated.

"Ray I thought that we'd sorted this out…I thought we were good."

Rayna breathed steadily, not shifting her gaze. Before she could argue with her better judgement she was speaking.

"Maybe we're not."

**- NASHVILLE - **

"Just leave it…I swear Liam you're always getting involved in everyone's personal business." Bucky warned Liam, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"So you want that." He gestured in Deacon and Rayna's direction. "Happening on live TV?"

"I think they'll be fine…I think I've known them long enough to know when they're not ok."

"Whatever you say."

"This is giving me a headache." Bucky breathed, closing his eyes to think.

"What the hell is wrong with them?" Juliette asked, observing the rising argument in the far corner.

"Mommy doesn't want Daddy to buy you a pony for Christmas." Liam replied dryly, turning his attention back to Bucky. Juliette swore at him, preparing herself to launch an attack.

"Hey! Dealing with one argument is enough let alone having to deal with another!" Bucky interjected, silencing both parties immediately with the frustration in his tone. "I think I'm going crazy."

Liam and Juliette ignored his mumbling, returning to their conversation.

"I thought they were sleeping to-?" Juliette started, tilting her head as she watched them.

"-They are _not_ sleeping together." Bucky relied firmly. Juliette scoffed.

"Come on, have you seen them together? They have to be…it is the obvious conclusion…anyone who says otherwise is just stupid." Juliette pushed, unwilling to believe what he'd said.

"Hate to break it to you but they're not…Rayna said so herself." Liam smiled grimly, looking in over Juliette's shoulder at Rayna.

"Rayna would lie Liam...honestly."

"I believe her."

"Well she's gotta be lying because Deacon's been driving me crazy…he's always smiling…all kinds of happy…." She replied, making a face as she recalled what she spoke of. "The only thing I'm putting it down to is that he's finally getting la-" She continued, stopping herself as she read Liam's expression. "No?!...who is she?"

"Who is who?" Bucky asked, confused at the turn in conversation as he looked up from his cell phone.

"She's blonde…that's all I know." Liam replied, hands in the hair in an attempt to avoid further questioning. Juliette stood open mouthed.

"How did you find out?"

"I have my ways..." He replied, smirking as he raised an eyebrow.

"That's disgusting."

Liam shook his head, laughing at her horrified expression. "Your mind went there not mine…all it took was a few shots of whiskey and an emotional country queen."

"Did not see that one coming." She shook her head, grimacing as she spoke.

"Neither did I."

"I thought they were..." Juliette added.

"Didn't we all."

"So Rayna knows?"

"Rayna knows what?" Bucky demanded, both Juliette and Liam ignored him.

"She caught him kissing the woman so I think it's safe to say she knows...but…Deacon doesn't know she saw a thing." Liam answered. Juliette laughed, gritting her teeth.

"And I thought I was the one with all the crazy drama."

"Still here…someone please tell me what we're talking about?" Bucky said angrily.

"Deacon's got a girlfriend." Liam answered matter-of-factly, watching Bucky expression change from fury to horror. ""Now you see why I thought it would be a good idea to break up the little heart-to-heart back there."

"Why didn't you tell me before!?" Bucky said angrily.

"You said you knew them better...didn't want to step on your toes if you knew what you were talking about Bucky." He replied, patting him on the shoulder.

"It's never stopped you before."

Juliette fixed her hair as she smiled at Rayna who had taken interest in their discussion from afar. Suddenly Rayna was shooting a cold stare in Deacon's direction, crossing her arms as they spoke in hushed voices. Rayna shook her head and moved to walk away.

"Shh…she's coming." Juliette hissed, attempting to get Liam and Bucky's attention. Both men looked up in Deacon and Rayna's direction and she smiled awkwardly as Rayna sought out their eye contact. Deacon refused to let Rayna get off easily, stopping her mid step. Knocking on the door interrupted both conversations and all eyes fell in its direction.

"You're on in 5."

Liam, Rayna and Deacon all uttered expletives, silencing the room and heightening the tension that already hung in the air.

"This is gonna be one hell of an interview." Juliette muttered.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR **

After a series of light-hearted and warm introductions, Rayna, Liam, Juliette and Deacon all sat comfortably on a couch opposite Katie. Rayna had been relieved that Bucky had taken control backstage and directed them in the order of which they were to sit once on stage, carefully separating Deacon and Rayna. No one argued, especially after the way they had all left the green room. Both Deacon and Rayna had waited silently, both masking their inner frustrations while Liam and Juliette had made sad attempts at shaking the mood.

Rayna didn't want to be anywhere near Deacon right now, let alone on the same talk show. All he had to do was pull the trigger and they both knew she'd fire. Rayna hadn't planned on starting an argument in the green room, but before she could react she'd opened her mouth. That had been the worst idea she could have had, especially minutes before they were supposed to be promoting a tour on national television. Her focus was on anything but the interview and it took everything within her to force her angry disposition away. She had said her fill and he'd returned his share of open-ended one-liners that made them both cringe. Rayna let out an uneasy breath. All they had to do was get through this interview relatively intact and they could take this somewhere privately. Not that anything had been much of private lately, the tabloids had seen to that. Panic shot through her veins as expletives filled her mind. All Katie Couric had to do was mention the controversy surrounding each of their personal lives and Rayna could forget escaping this thing unscathed.

Liam tapped her knee as he spoke and Rayna jumped, now aware of her surroundings, cameras and eyes on her.

"You know Katie it's funny…I was supposed to be a stand in until she found a guitarist."

"You said three shows." Rayna added, forcing a smile as she focused on the conversation. "Because asking for four was too many."

"Yeah about that…when are you gonna get your act together and replace me?" He teased.

"Well you haven't quit yet so why would I ruin a good thing?"

"I quit." Liam joked.

The audience burst into laughter. Juliette smiled sweetly while Deacon took on a cold hard stare. He knew that the outward confidence and cheery demeanour Rayna wore was purely a front but it annoyed him just the same. How was she so unfazed by what had just happened? He was still scrambling, confused as to why she had thought it appropriate to make a mess of what he thought they'd just worked hard to mend. The last thing he had wanted was to argue but she didn't give him much of a choice when she refused to tell him what was going on. Seething, he watched Rayna and Liam laugh and carry on. He didn't like the way Liam looked at her, it made him want to get up and punch the guy. What Rayna saw in Liam he had no idea, he hated seeing them together. She knew that. Deacon refocused, he couldn't think like that, at least not anymore. Not anymore.

"You'd be crazy to quit, it is Rayna Jaymes after all." Katie joked, listening intently.

"He's making me out to be the bad guy. Y'all probably won't believe me but he's slammed a door in my face before...sayin' I'm all moms and SUV's." Rayna piped up, smiling at Liam as he shook his head.

"Once." He countered.

"Still counts."

"Alright, don't give all our secrets away…they're gonna hate us….We do want people to come out and see the show next month remember?...it really is a good show." Liam added, looking at Katie in feigned desperation so she would ask the next question. The awkward silence had the audience in fits of laughter again.

"What about you guys? Are you as insane to be on the road with as these two?" Katie asked, turning her attention to Deacon and Juliette as she waited for an answer.

"Well I dunno…I'm hearing some of this stuff for the first time…all I can say is…slamming doors? Really?...I've been told that's my thing." Juliette answered, smiling over at Liam. The audience continued in an uproar. "I'd like to think we're a little saner but I don't really know."

"You yell good, that's your thing." Deacon offered, clearing his throat.

"Only when I have to yes."

"So working with Juliette is a little different to working with Rayna then?... After so long, how is it working on what some would call 'opposing' sides these days?" Katie asked, using quotation marks as she directed her question to Deacon. Rayna tensed, her nails digging into the couch cushion beneath her.

"Yeah how's the dark side?" Juliette quipped.

"Rayna can yell too...let me tell you that." He smiled, waiting for the audience to stop laughing as Rayna frowned. "But I'm finding with Juliette…there's a lot more black mascara, ugly cryin' and a hell of a lot of glitter." He joked, aware that he hadn't answered it like people would have wanted.

Rayna relaxed in the seat, tugging at a loose strand of hair as Katie settled the crowd and spoke to her. "This tour came together so quickly and there's been a lot of media attention around it. Critics are arguing that it's the best decision you both could have made. What's it like being apart of a tour like this? Are you both ready to kill each other yet?"

"You know, we have such a wonderful crew, our bands, our label and especially our fans…they're the ones who've made it all possible." Rayna answered, looking at Juliette to follow.

"We've just loved being able to give our fans something fresh, exciting and…what am I even talking about? This is the first show most of my fans have seen so I'm gonna be quiet now."

"It's definitely been an incredible learning experience working together and I think I speak for both of us when I say that our show really captures the best parts of who we are as artists and brings them together, giving people an experience they're not gonna forget."

Everyone in the audience let out shouts of excitement, applause flooding the studio.

"It can't all be easy though…If you could describe what it's really like in 3 words what would they be?" Katie asked Deacon and Liam. Silence feel through the crowd.

"Two…crazy…women." Liam blurted, flinching as Rayna slapped him.

"Interesting…vocal…chaotic." Deacon answered, smiling as Juliette frowned.

"We're not that bad." Rayna assured, shifting her gaze between the different men.

"You do have your days." Deacon replied, holding her stare.

"Well that's something com-" She started sharply, forgetting that they were on camera.

"-And you both have your days too…come on…give us a break." Juliette interrupted, defusing the situation as she caught Rayna's gaze.

The audience laughed.

"Life seems rather busy for you guys…I know that there's been a lot circulating about each of your respective personal lives…especially with this tour and all." Katie observed, changing the direction of conversation. Rayna froze, a number of colourful words coming to mind. "I have to ask…Set the record straight, is there any romance happening on the road?"

"No." Juliette answered quickly.

"This is the first I'm hearing about it." Rayna joked; steering clear of interacting seriously in the hope that Katie would change the subject.

"The first you're hearing of it? I find that a little hard to believe…" Katie challenged, smiling at the audience before looking back at her. Rayna supressed the glare she reserved for the occasions someone had clearly overstepped a boundary they shouldn't have, forcing a smile. If Katie wanted her dose of daytime drama, she was awful close to getting what she wanted.

"It's not something you tend to bring up….people aren't exactly open about it." Rayna replied, aware that her words had an ulterior meaning.

"What?" Liam mumbled, snapping his head in Rayna's direction.

"That's why people like to call it a personal life…because it's personal." Juliette countered, speaking light-heartedly in an attempt to get Katie to stop asking them these things.

The audience laughed but both Rayna and Deacon sat tensely, aware that Rayna's words had been directed at him. Reluctantly, Rayna sought out his gaze and he responded, holding hers with his. She watched him carefully as they danced around the edge of where this conversation could go. She was in no mood to argue, not here anyway. Deacon's eyes told her that like her, he just wanted this interview to be over.

"Come on Liam, what about you?" Katie tried, choosing not to push Rayna.

"I have a cat does that count?"

"You hate cats." Rayna shot.

"Nobody?" Katie asked, hoping to receive another answer.

"Nothing serious no…unless you count working with these two." He replied, pointing in the direction of Rayna and Juliette.

"Your killing us…come on Deacon there has to be someone in your life?" Katie questioned, smiling desperately at the camera before looking at him. Rayna's head shot up and Liam subtly rested his hand on her knee in an attempt to warn her not to do anything stupid. Deacon sat silently for a few moments. Katie clearly didn't seem to take Juliette's more than subtle hint.

"Well I have a dog…Juliette brought him for me actually…said I needed to work on relationship building, loving something…I dunno." Deacon replied, rubbing his sweaty palms on his trousers. The audience erupted into laughter at the look on Katie's face.

"You mean you're wasting all that loving on a dog?" She shrieked. "Why?!"

"He's not wasting it." Juliette smiled, nudging a furious Deacon in an attempt to take the attention off him.

"You've traded in a relationship for a little animal therapy…I do not agree…there has to be someone." Katie continued.

"Maybe there is…but I don't really care for sharing it with the world...at least not right now." Deacon smiled grimly, immediately feeling the heat of Rayna's eyes burning into his shoulder. Trying his best to ignore it he smiled out at the audience. Katie took the hint, laughing off his answer before shifting her gaze.

Abruptly from the crowd someone gamely called "Rayna…it's Rayna isn't it?"

Along with the audience Liam let out a low laugh, resting his chin on his fist as he marvelled at that stranger's stupidity in yelling what they had. Juliette sat wide-eyed, reluctant to look at anyone but Katie. Rayna smiled grimly, running a hand through her hair as she looked in Deacon's direction, waiting to see where they'd go with this.

"I see your keepin' up with the gossip magazines…good for you." He joked, looking over at Rayna's cold expression, hoping she would help.

"Doesn't mean they're true...trust me I would know if it were." She added.

"We're not…she's not who I'm…I'm not…no." He stumbled, loathing the indecisiveness in his answer. The burning he felt from her gaze was still hanging heavy on his shoulder.

"No, I'm not his _her._" Rayna countered, fleetingly looking over at Deacon.

"We're not dating." He said finally, relieved that he'd managed to say the words evenly.

"Ok..that wasn't awkward or anything." She added dryly. The audience misinterpreted her hurt for sarcasm and took this as a cue to laugh. She had felt the sting when he quickly pushed away the talk of them, refusing to let it linger. She hated this. Rayna knew she had brought this on herself, but that didn't make it any less painful. Deacon coughed, shifting in the seat as he looked over at Katie to change the conversation.

"Alright..well…What about you? Liam has a cat, Deacon has a dog..Have you got a monkey or something?" Katie joked, looking at Juliette. The audience cheered as Juliette profusely shook her head and Liam and Deacon talked over her.

"I'm so happy to hear about the tour and its success and it's been a thrill to meet and talk to each of you. Thank you for being here today and I wish continued success for all of you…_personally and professionally_." Katie smiled at them before turning her attention to a camera situated somewhere to their right. "If you are yet to see the Red Lips, White Lies tour…don't miss out…jump online and grab your tickets today because they're coming out here next month! These guys really know how to put on a show."

As the camera's cut to an ad break a loud bell went off and stylists from different directions ran onto the stage, positioning themselves next to Katie to do quick touch ups on her hair and make up. They all said their final goodbyes and headed off the stage. Liam made a joke with Rayna as he helped her down the steps and she pushed him away, determined to escape the spotlight and get backstage. Juliette laughed at them but Deacon wasn't paying attention at all, his mind racing to figure out what had happened between Rayna and him on stage; the spoken words, silent exchanges and everything in between.

Suddenly realisation hit, all the pieces coming together as dread overshadowed him. She knew. She had known he'd been seeing someone. How had he been so stupid not to realise it earlier? Deacon felt guilt creep on up inside and he swore. Why was everything so spectacularly entwined with grey and confusion when it came to them? Rayna had drawn the line when she'd walked out the door on his birthday. He had waited by the phone quietly willing it to ring, wishing, hoping and longing for her to say she needed him. Instead, Rayna had locked her heart away within herself and given him nothing.

He hadn't gone looking, he'd only taken his dog to the vet because he'd been out of his depth and a bubbly veterinarian had been the one to greet him. She had taken him by surprise, unaware of who he was, taking him at face value. One thing led to another and he'd offered to show her around town, her company refreshing him. Eventually he'd asked her out to dinner and here they were a few weeks later, very much in the beginnings of a relationship. Deacon cringed. How Rayna had taken something sweet and made it seem so bitter and so wrong in a matter of moments had hit him harder than he wanted to admit. He hadn't expected any of this. He scrambled to remain level headed, dreading what waited when they were both alone behind closed doors.


	5. Chapter 5

**NB: THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR REVIEWS, COMMENTS AND KINDEST WORDS...I TRULY APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE...I apologise it has taken me a little while to get this chapter up..but here it is... *Copyright for song Rayna sings does not belong to me - SONG: CAN'T GO BACK|ROSI GOLAN* PLEASE READ, REVIEW, COMMENT IF YOU FIND IT IN YOURSELVES TO DO SO...**

** -ENJOY **

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Backstage Deacon mumbled excuses and left Bucky, Liam and Juliette behind and went in search of Rayna. He turned the corner to see her storming down the corridor and he hurried to follow, hesitating as he finally caught up.

"Hey Ray…" He called. She ignored him and Deacon cringed, swearing under his breath. "Ray…Rayn-"

"-What?!" Rayna snapped, surprising both Deacon and herself as she spun to face him.

"I was just coming to-" He started, stopping mid sentence before continuing. "…find you."

"I don't really feel like talking right now." She said irritably, turning to walk away.

Deacon stepped in front of her. "Well I do."

"I don't know that we need to." She replied abruptly, crossing her arms. "I mean, you've made everything _pretty_ clear...first the Country Club….now the interview."

Deacon swore, running a hand over his face. He was right; Rayna had seen him with Stacey. She'd seen them at the Country Club, more than likely she'd seen him kiss her too. That was how Rayna knew that he'd been seeing someone. If there was ever a time he had wished to be anywhere else but here it was now.

"What'd you want me to say?-" He exclaimed, stepping closer as Rayna glared at him.

"-Deacon I don't even care." She lied, mumbling as she kicked the concrete floor.

"You don't care?"

"No."

"Ray that's bull…you and I both know that." He scoffed, waving his hand in the air in frustration.

"Just like you and I both know that what happened in there…what's happenin' now." She pointed in the direction of the studio. "Is total bull?"

Deacon shot her a look, angry that she had played his words against him.

"Don't do that…why are you being all-" He warned.

"-Do what?...I mean, how do you want me to feel right now coz I sure as hell don't know how I'm supposed to be."

"Talk _to _me…not at me." He replied, still agitated.

"To you?" She clarified angrily, her eyes challenging his. Deacon stayed tight-lipped, shifting his weight from one foot to another. "I can't do this…not now."

"Ray you didn't need me." He tried, holding his ground as he stressed how unfair this was, especially after she had been the one to put the distance between them in the first place.

"I do need you." She countered, her voice breaking as her eyes flickered in the direction of people walking past.

"You've got a way of showin' it." He replied grimly; hands on hips as he shook his head and tried to decipher her mumbled reply, sure that it was an insult.

Rayna shoved her hands through her hair in frustration as she looked away, aware that they seemed to be drawing attention to themselves. People were slowing their pace to hear what was going on. Rayna saw Juliette and Liam turning the corner and she swore. Deacon read her mind, promptly dragging her into the empty room next to them before slamming the door on the bystanders that stood outside.

"Nothing feels right to me." She began.

"We're not together Ray."

"No…_obviously_ we're not."

"_You're_ the one that's made damn sure of that." Deacon fumed, throwing his hands in the air as he spun around in an attempt to avoid her imminent attack.

Rayna backpedalled and went quiet, reeling at how this had escaladed into a battle she didn't realise she'd volunteered to take part in. If she'd wanted to put things right with Deacon like she'd told herself she did, this hadn't been the way to do it. She had relied on her head to pull her away from the blow of hearing Deacon's interview answers; instead her heart had flung itself in his direction, betraying her fragile resolve in a matter of moments. Rayna had failed miserably at following through on anything she told herself to do when he was around – the green room, the interview, now. Silence filled the room, changing the air as the words sunk deep into their bones. Rayna choked and felt the sting of tears sitting in the back of her eyes as words began to form.

"You know what Deacon…see whoever the hell you want..." Rayna muttered, shaking as she stormed towards the door and opened it. "I don't care.."

Slamming it she walked through the sea of people outside the door, hopelessly convincing herself to believe the lie she had told for the second time today. "I don't care."

**- NASHVILLE -**

**Two days later**

"Are you gonna get that?" Juliette grinned, grabbing Deacon's cell phone off his guitar case after their sound check. Deacon swore, floundering to catch her as she ran across the stage.

"Juliette, give it back!"

"Who's Stacey?" She shrieked, squinting at the cell phone screen.

"No one." He answered vacantly, aware that she knew who Stacey was.

"There are way too many missed calls and texts for her to be no one." Juliette smirked, waving the phone in the air as she spoke.

"Juliette I swear-"

"-Who is she?"

"She's a friend." He replied grudgingly, snatching his cell phone out of her hand.

"Like a friend with benefits?" She nodded, smiling as he stared blankly at her. Deacon scoffed.

"What is with all the questioning? Don't you have anything better to do?"

Juliette shook her head, ignoring his attempt to change tracks in conversation. "What's Rayna think?"

"About what?"

"About that…you and Stacey."

"You know what Rayna thinks." Deacon snapped, his mind recalling the argument that had blown up backstage at the Katie show. "Hell, everyone knows what she thinks."

"Hardly." She lied.

"The way she was yellin' and carryin' on…you'd think she was my damn girlfriend." He continued, glaring at Juliette when she smirked.

"Well until yesterday…I thought she was."

"Juliette-."

"-I don't blame her if she's yellin' and carryin' on." Juliette interrupted.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Are you really that stupid?...everyone thought you guys were together, I thought you were together…I was placing bets on it actually."

"Who's everyone?"

"Everyone." She said matter-of-factly, waving her hand around the empty arena. "Paul from craft services even has his suspicions about the both of you."

"That's crazy." He exclaimed, shaking his head.

"Not really…. especially with all that sexual tension."

"Why is everyone sayin' that? I've got a girlfriend."

Juliette smirked. "Stacey has gone from friend to girlfriend pretty fast."

"Shut up."

"Personally, I don't think you're 'over'" She began, making quotation marks as she spoke. "A certain someone whose name starts with a R and ends with an Ayna."

"Come on!"

"And I don't think she's 'over' a certain guitarist…"

"Who Liam?"

"Ah, you and I both know I'm not talkin' about Liam…I don't blame her for yellin' and makin' a fuss…I really don't."

"Juliette you need to be careful sayin-" He warned.

"-Settle down…I'm just sayin' that with you two…from what I've seen there isn't exactly an off button…you don't just shut off the whole…longin' looks, smiles and flirtin'…it doesn't happen…at least not with Deacon and Rayna it doesn't."

"I have a girlfriend." He answered, ignoring the truth behind her words.

"If you wanna keep tellin' yourself that you're over Rayna, over whatever it is you both have or don't have….you're foolin' yourself." She offered, pulling out her cell phone. "That's all I'm sayin'"

"You hate Rayna." He commented.

"Doesn't make what I'm sayin' any less true." She countered, smirking as he threw her a cold, hard glare. Deacon's cell phone started buzzing again, breaking the silence that had filled the stage.

"Better answer that." Juliette chirped, walking over to him to look over his shoulder to see the caller ID. "I think your girlfriend wants to talk to you."

Deacon swore at her, shoving the phone into his pocket as he turned on his heel and walked off the stage, leaving Juliette behind.

**- NASHVILLE - **

Running down the empty passageways backstage of the arena Deacon struggled to catch his breath when he reached the steps that led up onto the main stage. In the heat of the moment, he had stormed off the stage earlier and left his guitar behind. He'd been less than happy when Juliette had showed up at his hotel door a good 20 minutes ago wanting to run through a new song for the set list. It was only because he wanted to take his mind of everything that he let her in at all. When Deacon realised he'd left his guitar at the arena he'd kicked the bed in frustration. He was no good to Juliette or to the rehearsal without an instrument so he had made a run for it, hoping that no one had moved the guitar off the stage in preparation for Rayna's sound check. Breathing heavy, he tightened his grip on the railing side of stage as he began to will himself to make a move up the stairs. Deacon paused, stopping mid step when he heard the familiar sound of the one voice that he knew all too well. He shivered, creeping up the steps to hide in the shadows. Rayna sat alone on a stool in the middle of the stage, gently strumming a guitar. Unconsciously Deacon smiled, she was playing his guitar. She stopped playing abruptly, swearing as she ran a hand through her hair. Deacon panicked, thinking she had spotted him in the corner of her vision so he took a slight step back. He smiled when he realised she hadn't seen him at all, she was angry because she had accidently played the wrong chord.

It was times like these that Deacon always felt drawn to her, where she spoke through song. When she sat in the fragility and vulnerability of pouring herself out into a melody she captivated him without even trying. He hated and loved how that made him feel all in the same breath. This was something so bitter yet so sweet, he couldn't stop himself from smiling as he watched her fidget and recompose herself. The strumming of the guitar broke through his thoughts and he edged closer to listen.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Looking out at the empty arena Rayna sighed heavily. Sound check was over but she had stayed behind, desperate to be alone where she could play something for no one but herself. She had been a wandering mess since she'd slammed the door on Deacon two days ago, irritated by trivial things and sharper with people than she intended to be. Lyrics and phrases had tugged at her restless mind amongst the day-to-day drudgery and in the earlier hours of the morning she had given in and sat at the piano in the penthouse. Effortlessly, word after word and note after note had fallen from her lips. Before she knew it she had crafted something that was more than just another sad melody. This song held the most important parts of her heart and all it couldn't say. Rayna sighed, looking down at her shaking fingers as she willed herself to continue playing. Making a steady strum with her fingers she squeezed her eyes tightly shut and began to sing.

"Oh the tumbling reservations at the heart of my mistakes. Oh some things you can't go back to cause you let them slip away." She sang, letting her tears fall freely as she forced herself to remember the next chord.

"I don't wanna be a witness to a path that's overgrown. I don't wanna see this house not be a home. 'Cause time has taken toll on what we couldn't see. No I don't wanna be a witness to the end of you and me."

**- NASHVILLE -**

Soundlessly Deacon watched, unable to tear his eyes away from her as she sung. Each word and change of melody more haunting than the last. With every moment that passed he couldn't shake the sense that his heart may not be as ready to be shared with another than he had talked himself into believing. Had he been wrong in thinking that he was all for moving on? Because in this moment, deep down he knew he wanted to walk onto that stage and do this circle dance with her over and over, as long as it meant they weren't through. Deacon shook his head, squeezing his hands together as he continued to listen.

"How am I gonna make each moment better than the last. How am I gonna make it better if I can't go back." Rayna sang, her voice shaking. Deacon had to consciously stop himself from walking out to her, swearing as he slowly took two steps back.

"Cause time has taken toll on what we couldn't see. No I don't wanna be a witness to the end of you and me." She finished, the last note and chord ringing throughout the arena as she sat motionless, looking out into the empty seats.

Slowly she moved to stand and Deacon jumped, his heart beating harder and faster than he thought it able. Swiftly he bolted down the steps and into the passageway closest to the stage, running as the words of her song rang through out his mind. In a matter of moments she had pulled at the seams of what he'd worked so hard to mend, awakening each notion and emotion that he had sworn were put to bed only hours before when he'd been confronted by Juliette. Maybe he was overreacting, there was no way Juliette could be right about something like this. He was certain, wasn't he? The only thing that he was certain of now was that he was more uncertain and disorderly than he thought a person could be. As the elevator doors shut behind him he bent over, taking deep breaths as he steadied himself. Uneasily he let his mind replay the memories of the moments before, Rayna's voice, her tired eyes, the words she had sung. He quietly whispered.

"What the hell was that?"


	6. Chapter 6

**NB: The song sung by Deacon and Rayna in this chapter DOES NOT belong to me. All copyright to Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks and the song is called "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around". Thank you each and every single reader and reviewer for your kindness and enthusiasm towards this story…I appreciate that you take the time to let me know what you think and I love taking this journey with y'all…please keep reviewing and letting me know what you think. Enjoy**

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX**

**Four Days Later**

"I thought being a self proclaimed animal expert and all that it'd be obvious not to leave your shoes around a puppy." Deacon teased, keeping a leisurely pace as he walked into the lobby while he talked to Stacey on the phone. He laughed when she got defensive. "It's my fault? How's it my fault? You're the one lookin' after him while I'm on the road."

He continued walking, stopping suddenly when he turned a corner, his eyes catching sight of Rayna.

"Come on!" Rayna exclaimed, slamming the vending machine with her hand. "Seriously? All I want is the damn chocolate…is it really that hard to ask?"

Deacon smirked, watching the argument between Rayna and the vending machine take place. "I've paid you now all I'm askin' is you do your part!"

"Stace I'm gonna have to call you back….you too…ok bye."

"I swear I'll do anything please…" Rayna begged, watching the machine intensely with the hope that it would give her what she wanted. When nothing happened she slammed the front of the vending machine again. "Stupid-"

"-They usually don't take kindly to abuse…there's a trick to these things." Deacon offered, leaning over her shoulder to put money into the vending machine. Rayna jumped, surprise catching her off guard. Impulsively she pushed him out of the way, blocking his access to the machine.

"Hey no! Don't give it more money! I swear I've put like 10 bucks in already-"

"-Ray move."

"I'm not movin'."

"Do you want your chocolate or not?"

Coyly, Rayna smiled at the ground, slowly taking a step out of the way as she crossed her arms impatiently. "It's not gonna work Deacon."

Confidently he feed the machine money, pressed buttons and watched as it gave him what he had picked. Rayna stood open-mouthed as he handed her the packet. Deacon shrugged, secretly pleased that he'd managed to prove her wrong. "I would have thought by now you'd have learnt not trust these things…I recall you never really havin' much luck."

"Hey! I wanted a chocolate bar…you brought me-"

"-I've known you a long time…without fail you always take Reese's cups over a chocolate bar."

"Maybe I wanted something different." She lied, hiding a smile as she played with the packet.

"Seriously?...says you that eats peanut butter out of the jar."

"Alright alright fine."

Deacon and Rayna laughed before quickly falling into silence, trying hard to ignore the unsaid and spoken things of the past weeks that sat heavy around them. Neither claimed innocence in being the contributors to the tension that stood between them, but that by no means meant they were ready or in any mood to bring it up. Deacon smiled, shoving his hands into his pockets as both his and her eyes silently spoke to one another. Rayna blushed, averting her gaze to open the Reese's cups as she cleared her throat.

"You headed over?" She asked, taking a bite of a Reese's cup as she spoke.

"To the arena?"

"Yeah…we have that group meeting before a meet and greet show thing for the contest winners of some competition the label set up."

"That's today?"

"Apparently…how we've managed to make it to San Diego so quickly I have no idea….do you wanna head over together?"

"I can't." He replied slowly, cringing as he watched her try to hide the disappointment on her face. "I mean, I'm comin' over I've just gotta call Stacey back first is all."

"Oh ok, well I'll see you…"

"Ok." He nodded, clenching his fists in frustration.

"Thanks." She smiled weakly, holding the opened Reese's packet up as she began to walk backwards. "Maybe you'll have to just buy these for me from now on...clearly I fail miserably."

"Sure." Deacon laughed, his posture relaxing as he turned to walk away.

Rayna turned around, shaking her head in shame as she quickly walked away. "Maybe you'll have to just buy these for me?...who says that?"

**- NASHVILLE -**

**Valley View Casino Center**

"Oh look who decided to show up." Liam nodded in Deacon's direction before focusing on Rayna who was trying to ignore him. "It's alright, you're only a half hour late...If I was late I'd-"

"-Shhhh!"

"Don't shhhh me."

"You are such a child." Rayna mumbled, hiding a smile as she crossed her arms and focused on the crew congregating around them in front of the stage.

Liam scoffed, holding his hands up disbelief. He caught Deacon staring at them out of the corner of his eye and discreetly nodded in his direction. "Don't look now but a certain brooding guitarist is watching you."

"Stop."

"Staring….waiting for you to acknowledge him." Liam added, poking her arm.

Rayna swatted his hand away. "Maybe he's checkin' you out."

"Nah, I'm not his type."

"I'm this close to firing you I swear." She joked, looking up at him.

Liam smiled. "Just put us all out of our misery and go and talk to him."

"Who's all?" Rayna questioned, squinting as she looked up at him.

"You and I both know you want to…. especially after your spectacular exit from the Katie show the other day."

"No."

"Seriously?..." He asked, crossing his arms. "And you call me the child."

Rayna shot him a look causing Liam to burst into laughter. She only got more agitated, swearing under her breath as he continued to tease her relentlessly. Determined not to crack, she focused her attention on Bucky who had begun talking with a group of crew guys about the itinerary for the coming days. Liam elbowed her and she jumped, reflexively pushing him away before stumbling backwards. Instead of falling like she had anticipated she felt her body slam into someone else's.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't me-" She started, turning around to face the person she'd collided with.

"-Looks like there might've been somethin' in that chocolate?" Deacon grinned, taking in the surprise on her face when she realised who he was.

"I wouldn't know, someone thought it appropriate to give me Reese's cups instead." She smiled, clumsily pushing a loose strand of hair out of her face before abruptly turning around to face Liam. "Where the hell did he go?...I' m gonna kill him."

"What?" Deacon asked, watching her curiously as she mumbled.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Mmhmm…" She quickly agreed, crossing her arms as she took a step closer to Deacon and cleared her throat. "So you got here a little late don't you think?"

"Well-"

"-I don't blame you." She smirked, nudging him as she walked over to the side of the stage to pick up her coffee cup.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'd be late too, I mean I never thought I'd see the day you'd be singin' Boy's and Buses with Juliette Barnes day in day out but you know life never ceases to amaze."

"Oh is that right?" He laughed, leaning against the stage as he spoke to her. "Kinda like how I never thought I'd see the day you'd be runnin' up and down that stage doin' all those fancy high kicks or whatever the hell you wanna call it."

"What?!"

"Oh you know what I'm talkin' about."

"Sorry, no." She giggled, clutching her coffee cup with both hands as she drank it.

"Let me demonstrate." He smirked, drawing attention as he sung the last line of the bridge to Wrong Song before purposely doing a terrible impression of Rayna's high kick. Rayna choked, struggling to keep her coffee down as she fell into fits of laughter. A number of people standing around them stifled giggles as they watched the pair from afar.

"I do not do that." She spluttered, pushing him off balance.

"Deny it, but I've seen it with my own eyes." He nodded, crossing his arms as he spoke. "More than once...you can kick pretty hig-"

"-How'd we even get to talkin' about me?"

"Well it start-"

"-Deacon, there you are!" Juliette interrupted, stopping short when she realised who he was talking to. She smiled sweetly over his shoulder at Rayna before mumbling. "Should've known this is where you'd be."

"Hey." Rayna greeted, drawing the word out as she returned the sugary sweet smile.

"You ready for this little _intimate_ meet and greet thing?" Juliette asked, emphasising the word intimate as she looked from Deacon to Rayna. Deacon glared at her, scratching his neck as he avoided Rayna's gaze.

"I guess…" Rayna replied, faking a smile to hide her apparent confusion. "Should be fun."

"That's a way of puttin' it."

"How about you?" Rayna asked Juliette, her eyes fleetingly wandering in Deacon's direction. "You ready for this?"

"Actually no, that's why I'm here." Juliette replied, looking for Rayna to Deacon. "I'm real sorry but I'm gonna have to steal Deacon from you coz we gotta sound check."

"Oh you're not stealin' him from me." Rayna fumbled, cursing herself when she blushed. "He's all yours."

"Actually, I'm not." Deacon mumbled, still agitated by Juliette's takeover of the conversation.

"You ok?" Juliette observed, smiling as she watched Rayna.

"Yep, fine." She nodded, excusing herself before she quickly hurried away.

"Why do you do that?" Deacon asked, following her as they walked towards the stage steps.

"Do what?"

"Make everything so damn uncomfortable."

"I honestly dunno what you're talkin' about." She replied, taking a microphone off a tech guy.

"Mmhmm of course you don't." He fumed, pulling his guitar strap over his head as she walked away.

"Alright guys!...Let's take it from the top."

**- NASHVILLE -**

Leaning against the end of the newly constructed runway that started at the main stage and finished at centre of the arena floor, Rayna and Liam watched Juliette's sound check. They had both laughed and made their fair share of inappropriate comments; Liam's always taking the joke further than what was necessary. Rayna couldn't quite place how it was she felt; she was a basket case of emotions. One moment she wanted to hate Deacon and the next she became a babbling disaster, regretfully fumbling over her words when she was faced with talking to him. She hated this, not really knowing where they stood with one another. Rayna cringed as she wondered if Deacon thought about the same things she did. She swore under her breath, quickly reminding herself that that probably wasn't the case. After all, he was seeing someone else now. They weren't, she wasn't his priority anymore. Why would he think about this? Liam nudged her and Rayna jumped.

"You know what would be fun?" Liam asked sneakily, raising an eyebrow as he talked.

"What?"

"Seeing you and Deacon." He replied, waving up and down the runway stage. "Singing on this very stage."

"Not happening." She said quickly, glaring at him.

"Little Miss sparkly pants up there won't mind."

"Don't you go puttin' ideas in her head I swear Liam."

"It'd be-"

"-No."

"Juliette!…" He yelled. "Let's see what Juliette thinks." Liam beamed, intently leaning on the stage as Juliette turned her attention to them.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Juliette no." Deacon warned, following after her as she began walking down the runway stage towards Rayna and Liam.

"Why?" Juliette replied, rolling her eyes as she passed her microphone from one hand to another. "I think it's a brilliant idea…it's exactly what her fans would want anyway….a little trip down memory lane...you'd probably be pretty keen on the idea too."

"I'm not doin' it." He said firmly.

"I'm not askin' you…I'm askin' Rayna." Juliette smiled, walking faster. "Hey Rayna."

"Hey." She replied uneasily, ignoring Liam as she returned the smile.

"So I was thinkin'…."

"She wasn't thinkin' anythin'." Deacon interrupted. Juliette held up a hand to silence him and Deacon clenched his jaw, looking up at the ceiling to avoid saying anything he'd later regret. "I was thinkin' how nice it'd be to give the winners of this contest, you're fans in particular somethin' a little different."

"Different how?" Rayna asked sceptically.

"Different like you maybe singin' a song with Deacon." Juliette replied chirpily, swinging her arms as she looked from Deacon to Rayna. "You know, for old times sake."

"Told you." Liam grinned, leaning over to Rayna. Rayna slapped him on the arm.

"I don't think so." Rayna said curtly, ignoring Liam's mumbling as she looked up at Juliette.

"I thought it'd be a good idea-" Juliette started.

"-Mmhmm no." Rayna interjected, shaking her head as she made quotation marks. "This is definitely not one of your 'good' ideas."

"Come on, it's one song." Liam pushed, his hands drumming on the stage as he leant against it.

"Y'all need to stop, I'm not doing it."

Amused by her resistance, Deacon watched Rayna argue with Liam and Juliette from a far. He couldn't quite figure anything out, especially since he'd heard her sing the other day. There was something so haunting and familiar in every lyric and note that she had sung, each tearing at the walls he'd fought to build to keep her out. He could have pretended that he was angry, but he knew he wasn't. Everything about this, them and all that sat in between was different now, he'd made it different by choosing someone else. He had chosen Stacey; he couldn't afford to be thinking about Rayna. This emotional tug-of-war was making his heart a mess. Before Deacon knew what he was doing curiosity got the better of him and he was asking a roadie to grab his microphone stand and a spare microphone for Rayna.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"What part of no don't you understand?" Rayna exclaimed, astounded by the tag team like attack from both Liam and Juliette. All caught in the throws a heated argument; none of them noticed Deacon counting Juliette's band in. "I don't wanna do it, Deacon doesn't wan-"

Suddenly the arena was engulfed with music, interrupting Rayna midsentence as she, Juliette and Liam turned their attention to the main stage. Deacon smiled at them, playing the opening riff to a song Rayna knew all too well. It was one they'd written in the back passageways of an arena much like this a long time ago. The night had been cold and she had sat huddled on the concrete floor, her fingers clutching a paper coffee cup while they wrote before a show. What was he doing? Rayna scoffed when Deacon caught her stare, biting her tongue to stop herself from smiling. Deacon continued playing, stepping up to microphone.

"I know you know it." He teased, grinning when she shook her head. "Intro's almost over so you may wanna think about not makin' me look like an idiot and gettin' up and singin' already."

"I don't have a microphone." Rayna yelled, ignoring Liam and Juliette's comments. Someone tapped Rayna on the shoulder, handing her a microphone before offering to help her up onto the stage.

"Now you do." He replied, watching her as she argued with Liam and said something in his direction that he was sure was supposed to insult him.

Rayna shook her head, laughing as Liam jumped over, offering his hand and both he and the crew guy helped her up. Nervously she stood, trying desperately to shake the burning within as Deacon looked up at her. Deacon played the final note of the intro and pointed at her, cuing Rayna to sing.

"Baby you'll come knocking on my front door. Same old line you used to use before. I said ya...well...what am I supposed to do? I didn't know what I was getting into." She sang, slowly walking towards Deacon who stood at the other end of the runway on the main stage.

"So you've had a little trouble in town. Now you're keeping some demon down. Stop draggin' my...Stop draggin' my...Stop draggin' my heart around." They both sang in unison, smiling when she made it onto the stage with him. A number of crew guys, techs, roadies, assistants and musicians had flooded into the main arena to see what was going on, each fixed on the overwhelming tension and bubbling chemistry between the pair on stage.

Rayna smiled, eyes a blaze as she stomped her foot in time with the steady rhythm of the drum. Stepping towards Deacon, she looked him in the eye and held the microphone up to her mouth. "It's hard to think about what you've wanted. It's hard to think about what you've lost. This doesn't have to be the big get even."

Rayna shook her head slowly, smiling sassily before stepping away from him to sing. "This doesn't have to be anything at all."

Deacon smirked, watching her cross her arms as she looked at him and then out to the audience that had gather on the arena floor, tilting her head in anticipation. Stepping up to the microphone he sang. "I know you really want to tell me good-bye. I know you really want to be your own girl."

Rayna nodded and he quickly gestured with his right hand for her to come closer before letting his fingers find the chords to the chorus. Rayna stood in front of him, loosely holding onto his microphone stand with one hand and her own microphone with the other. Together they sang. "Baby you could never look me in the eye. Yeah you buckle with the weight of the words. Stop draggin' my... Stop draggin' my... Stop draggin' my heart around."

"Stop draggin' my heart around." Deacon sang, all instruments but the drums stopping. He watched Rayna walk away from him and turn on her heel as he sung the last word.

"Stop draggin' my heart around." She sang, stepping towards him, a burning intensity keeping his eyes fixed on hers.

"Stop draggin' my heart around." He sang, stepping past the microphone stand, startling Rayna as she tried to figure out what he was doing.

The band took this as their cue to come in and played the final resolve as Deacon and Rayna stood face to face in the middle of the stage. Instinctively holding her microphone between them as they looked at one another they sang the last line together, she took the melody and he found the harmony. "Stop draggin' my heart around."

Amongst the sound of the resounding finish from the band the arena erupted into applause, squealing, wolf whistles and praise coming from every direction. Deacon and Rayna didn't seem to notice, both still unable to tear their eyes away from one another. Breathing heavily, Rayna tried to focus as she clutched the microphone tightly to her chest. Whatever this was, it was more than just another performance, another song. She knew better, he knew better. How they managed to get themselves here time and again she had no idea, maybe it just found them. They had the habit of getting themselves in deeper and darker places whenever this happened, the innocence of a song pulling their pieces apart for the other to see. The Bluebird was proof enough of that. Rayna felt an unfamiliar restlessness overshadow her, her better judgement reminding her that he wasn't hers, not anymore. Stacey had Deacon; there was no second-guessing that. Trembling, Rayna averted her gaze. Maybe she was just imagining everything that she'd thought they'd both felt moments before. She cleared her throat, nervously running a hand through her hair as they continued to ignore applause.

"Some song." He whispered.

"Yeah…." She nodded, avoiding his eyes as she began to awkwardly side step around him and step backwards. "Well I've got…to…um…I've gotta…I'll see you."

Rayna turned on her heel leaving a speechless Deacon behind to wonder what was going on. As she hurried down the steps she couldn't shake the feeling that although she knew that it shouldn't be happening, they were in a lot deeper than either one of them wanted to admit.

* * *

**- FOR GOSSIPLILYRUFUSXOXO -**


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Rayna stood between Bucky and Liam, hiding behind the small audience that sat around the end of the runway stage at the centre of the arena. It had been a last minute decision but both Rayna and Juliette had opted for an unplugged show, trading in the electric instruments and drum driven sound for a warm, acoustic and cosy one. It may have just happened to be appropriate for the occasion, but they had both wanted to do it for different reasons. Juliette wanted the opportunity to test her new material and an acoustic show would hide the band's lack of preparation. Rayna on the other hand had jumped at it because it limited her setlist and it meant she wouldn't be singing that song with Deacon again. She smiled as Juliette cued her three-piece band in, the familiar melody of 'Love Like Mine' springing to life.

Sighing, Rayna crossed her arms and tuned out the song. Rayna had made it through her set relatively well; singing favorites, connecting with the audience and throwing in an occasional joke here and there. But she was more relieved to get off the stage than she had been to get on it. After the impromptu sing song with Deacon earlier that afternoon she hadn't been entirely sure she could fool anyone into believing that she was a self-assured, confident, Grammy Award winning performer. So many emotions had whirled around that stage when they had sung together; each spinning and entangling themselves into every word. The look on Deacon's face as she'd walked away told her he was just as confused as she was. She still wasn't even sure what had happened; maybe it was all something constructed by her heart and mind and she was over analysing it. Rayna didn't know. After recomposing herself Rayna had returned in time to hear Bucky sending everyone away to get ready. Rayna hadn't seen Deacon and she was grateful because she dreaded the talk that was surely buzzing amongst their crew. Up until now no one had pushed for a re-enactment of the sound check spontaneity and she hoped it would stay that way. Applause imposed on her and she focused on the stage, clapping half-heartedly.

"Thank y'all so much. We are so so happy to have shared tonight with you guys." Juliette smiled, shifting on her stool as she talked. "We have one more surprise for y'all so…"

Immediately, Rayna stopped clapping, her heart pounding loudly. If Juliette really thought she could pull a stunt like this, getting her on a stage with Deacon _again, _she had another thing coming. Deacon's eyes shot up, fixing themselves on Juliette. Clearly he was just as shocked as she was.

"She's got about 500 miles worth of nerve." Rayna breathed, smiling as she looked at Liam. "I'm not gettin' up there."

"Well…" Liam offered, scratching his head as sensed the awkwardness and growing attention from people standing around Rayna. "This is all on her...I had nothing to do with whatever she's got planned."

"I'll leave."

"You won't leave."

"Try me." Rayna said dryly, her eyes instinctively seeking out the nearest exit points. Discreetly, Liam brought his hand up to her arm in attempt to stop her from getting ideas. "Fine."

"We have one more song…" Juliette continued, fiddling with the power pack on her jeans. "It's not actually on the setlist…Y'all know it real well though and I thought it'd be fun."

"What's she doin'?" Rayna grinned, clenching her fists behind her back as she tried to remain level headed.

"I'd like to invite none other than Rayna Jaymes back up to the stage." Juliette exclaimed, turning attention to Rayna as she pointed her out. Deacon clenched his jaw as the audience applauded her. Rayna remained where she was and Juliette let out an uneasy laugh, frustrated at Rayna's lack of enthusiasm. She adopted a cheery tone and continued. "If y'all have ever been to any of our shows on this tour you'd know that there is only one song we sing together, a song we wrote together…I was hopin' we'd get to sing it for you now so Rayna, Liam…come on up and join us."

Rayna relaxed, relief drowning her anxiousness as she looked from Juliette to Liam. This wasn't a cruel scheme like she'd thought, it was just an encore.

"Who's ready to sing Wrong Song with us?" Juliette squealed.

Rayna mustered up a fake smile and slowly moved past Liam, heading for the stage as the audience cheered.

Liam smiled up at the roof, pressing his hands together as he followed. "Thankyou…"

**NASHVILLE –**

"Me too baby…I'm so excited to see y'all on the weekend." Rayna smiled, listening to her youngest daughter giggle. "You guys, Aunt Tandy, Me….we're gonna have a lot of fun."

"Hey mom! What's happenin'? What have you been doing? Is Juliette with you?" Maddie asked, pulling the phone off her younger sister. Rayna laughed when Daphne whinged in the background.

"Well…" She replied slowly, walking past a number of guests, musicians and caterers into the hallway. "We just finished a little unplugged show…and after that there was a meet n' greet with some fans who'd won a competition the label had set up so-"

"-That's so cool!" Maddie exclaimed.

"Yeah it was cool…" She smiled, pausing as she heard Daphne and Maddie talking amongst themselves. "Hey hey hey…stop." Rayna said sternly, covering her ear with her free hand as she spoke to her daughters on through the cell phone. "Daphne! Maddie!...Hey! Girls…come on y'all stop with the fighti-."

Both girls continued to argue on the other end of the phone, the volume rising as they fought over who got to speak. Rayna gave up, holding the phone away from her as she rolled her eyes. Suddenly the phone went silent and Rayna quickly put it back up to her ear.

"Girls?"

"Rayna?"

"Teddy?" Rayna asked, confused as to why he was talking to her.

"Hi."

"Hey…um…what happened to the girls?"

"Well…as you could probably hear…there is a bit of a World War III going on." Teddy replied slowly and firmly. Rayna scratched her head, biting her lip as she walked. She assumed that he had taken on this tone because he probably had their daughters sitting in front of him.

"I see…have they advanced to hair pullin' and name callin'?"

"You could put it that way."

"I'm sorry." Rayna replied, laughing when she heard Maddie tell Teddy how unfair this was.

"When we come to a truce and a white flag gets waved I'll let them call you back."

"It's kind of late…can I say goodnight?" She asked. "In case there isn't a ceasefire?"

"Mom!?" Both girls cried.

"Hey!...you two need to stop with the fightin'...listen to your Dad ok?" She instructed, waiting for them to say their goodbyes before she spoke again. "I love you both…only a few more days…I love you too….ok…night girls."

Rayna hung up, thrusting the cell phone deep into her pocket before running her hand through her hair. She didn't really feel like returning to the celebratory festivities down the other end of the hall. The night had been a success, the unplugged show proving to be better than they'd anticipated. As usual, they had moved the 'party' from the venue to the hotel where everyone could revel at the night's success and use it as an excuse to drink far too much. As fun as it could be, she didn't really care for obligatory small talk, drinks and cheery dispositions, not tonight. She wanted space, she needed to think. Shoving her hands into her back pockets, she paused, pulling out a crumpled wrapper. Rayna swore, smoothing the creases of the Reese's cup wrapper as she thought back to the vending machine and all that followed after.

"Hey."

Rayna froze, grateful that her back was faced away from the approaching person for fear they'd be able to read what she was thinking about. What was Deacon doing here? Rayna looked up at the ceiling, lips pursed together as she scrambled to find something to say. Coming up short she embraced a smile, turning around quickly.

"Hey."

"You're missin' out." He stated, smiling as he gestured behind him.

"Why's that?"

"Let's just say it involves a hell of a lot of liquor, Liam, Juliette and differences of opinion….all essentials for the makin' of World War III."

Rayna giggled. "I don't understand those two…one minute they're quite comfortable conspirin' and bein' all friendly and the next they're ready to tear each other apart." Pulling out her cell phone she waved it in the air. "But I think dealin' with _one_ World War III is enough for one night."

He smirked, noticing the empty Reese's cup wrapper in her other hand. "Let me save you the trouble…you're gonna lose."

"Excuse me?" She asked, confused as to what he was referring to.

"It's not that I doubt you're ability…it's just that your track record with those things is pretty rotten." He grinned, pointing at her hand. Rayna looked down, smiling when she realised what he was talking about.

"It was a total fluke that the damn thing worked for you this mornin' and now you're all high and mighty about it." She scoffed, scrunching the wrapper up as she tried not to laugh.

"No."

"Yes."

"You're in denial." He shrugged, walking up to her.

"Actually, no…you are. I-" She reacted, throwing her hands up as he passed her. "Where are you going?"

"Your World War III sounds a hell of a lot more fun than the one in there." He answered, walking backwards as he grinned. "You comin'?"

"This is not my World War III."

"Sure it's not."

"Seriously, it's not."

"You comin' or what?" He asked, smiling as he turned around and walked away.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Where are we even going?" Rayna asked, following after him.

"I don't actually know." He replied as they wandered aimlessly down the hallways of the hotel.

"You don't know?"

"Do you think there'd be a vending machine in here?" Deacon asked, pushing his weight against a glass door that read 'Indoor Pool: Operating Hours 7am – 8pm'. Rayna shook her head in disbelief when the door opened and Deacon walked in.

"It's past 8pm…do you not read signs?"

"You've tellin' me you've never ignored them before?"

"What are you doin-?" She smiled, reluctantly following.

"-Look! A vending machine." He said proudly, pointing to it. "Prove me wrong Rayna Jaymes, prove me wrong."

**- NASHVILLE -**

Rolling up the bottoms of her jeans, Rayna ignored the smug look plastered across Deacon's face as they sat on the edge of the pool. Deacon started whistling, subtly placing the Reese's cups next to her.

"I'm not sayin' it." Rayna warned, pulling her cell phone out of her pocket and placing it next to her. "I won't."

"I know." He smiled.

"Good."

Wordlessly they sat, stifling giggles before Deacon abruptly broke the silence. "I can't help it Ray..._But_ I have to say told you so….don't quit your day job…that's all I'm sayin'."

Rayna swatted his arm and they both laughed. Picking up the Reese's Cups she opened them and they fell into silence, both contemplating different things.

"So…" She began, turning her body to face him as she pulled her knees up against her chest.

"So…"

"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around…really?"

Deacon looked at her loosely, keeping quiet as he fixed his eyes on the water.

"I mean why choose that song?" She asked, studying him closely. "I've been thinkin'…and I, why that one?"

"I dunno."

"Ok." She sighed, accepting that he may not give her the real answer. She rested her head on her knees. "Remember the fight we had before that show? The time when we wrote it?"

"You were stubborn as hell...drove everyone crazy."

"I don't even know why we were fightin'."

"Neither do I." He admitted, gently kicking his legs in the water as he talked. "All I remember is that you sat down on the floor backstage and refused to move…I knew talkin' to you wouldn't do any good coz you'd already blown off Bucky…so I took advantage of it and turned it into a writing opportunity."

"You used me? Talk about draggin' a girl's heart around." She exclaimed, raising her head to look at him.

"Have you heard the lyrics? _Your own lyrics_. It's hardly woe unto the girl." He smirked. "I think you were usin' the opportunity just as much as me."

"You'll never know." She smiled, running a hand through her hair before picking up a Reese's cup.

"It made for a good song though…if I recall it went to number one in quite a few countries." He observed, looking across at her.

"I think it was a little more than just a _good_ song."

"I think there was a little more to it than it just bein' another song we wrote." He added.

He knew full well why he'd chosen that song; he knew that Rayna knew why too. They were both too stubborn to say anything about it. If anything, this very song defined them, more so now than ever. They thrived off needing the chase but hated one another for the run around, yet time and again that's what they did. Even when they weren't trying, they found themselves here. He was certain that he was committed to Stacey but he was also certain that somehow he'd volunteered himself for this unspoken passion play. He didn't know what they were and hated that they always comfortably sat between the lines. Deacon didn't want to think about it.

In this moment there was something about the way Rayna sat; her hair tumbling around her face and knees tucked up underneath her chin. Something he couldn't quite place, something that refused to let him tear his eyes away while terrifying him all at the same time. She smiled up at him, her fingers finding his as they quietly watched the water. Deacon stiffened, looking down at their intertwined fingers as his thoughts fell to the song, the look in her eyes, her smile, the elevator and finally the moment he had kissed her. His mind sat stuck on that one memory and he bit his tongue, scrambling to figure out what was going on.

"I've missed this…talkin' late…you know when you don't even really know what you're talkin' about…" She smiled out at the pool, laughing as she continued. "I don't even remember the last time we just-"

Rayna stopped mid sentence, turning her attention to him as she felt Deacon remove his fingers from hers and gently hook his hand around the back of one of her legs. Startled, Rayna kept her knees firmly against her chest, watching him closely as the air between them changed. With his free hand Deacon brushed a loose strand of hair off her face, his eyes reading hers. When Rayna didn't make any attempt to shake the mood he edged closer and she followed. In this moment, they were completely lost and yet completely in control. Deacon felt the heat between them burn; both their hearts hammering as he felt her breath collide into his. Startled, Rayna jumped as her phone shrieked, ringing loudly behind her. She faltered, turning around gracelessly to pick it up and Deacon swore, running his hands over his face as reality came crashing in.

"Um…" She whispered, her cheeks flushed as she turned back to face him, phone ringing in hand. Abruptly he stood and she did the same.

Rayna wiped her mouth hastily, hiding the trembling in her fingers as she spoke. "I've gotta take this."

Deacon moved to speak but she ignored him, avoiding his gaze before smiling weakly. He took a step towards her but Rayna took three steps back, maintaining the distance between them.

"-I've really gotta take this." She interrupted, looking down at the caller ID as she grimaced and turned around. Steeling herself she began walking briskly around the side of the pool, answering the phone as she went. "Hey Buck…yeah ok look, all I did was slip out to make a call to the girls…Of course I'm comin' back."

Opening the glass door, she stole a look at Deacon. He stood hands on hips, frustrated as he kept his eyes fixed on her. After a long moment Rayna broke the contact, turning her attention to Bucky's questioning as she walked out. "You want me to meet who?"


	8. Chapter 8

**NB: THANK YOU EACH AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON FOR READING AND REVIEWING BRAVE FACE...You are all so amazing and I love that you're all liking this...In a bid to intertwine my story with the REAL ONE...there are some commonalities in the coming chapters to make it a realistic portrayal of where BRAVE FACE could fit with the show itself...I hope you don't mind. I do not own the song that Maddie and Daphne sing, all copyright to The Lumineers and the song is called 'Ho Hey' (For those who are yet to watch episode 1x16...do yourself a favor and watch it)...Thank you again for reading. PLEASE KEEP THE REVIEWS, COMMENTS, THOUGHTS, LIKES, DISLIKES AND ALL THAT LIES BETWEEN COMING...I love taking this journey with y'all...Enjoy.**

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

"I mean I like her I do." Rayna admitted, looking over her shoulder as a bubbly brunette walked out the door. Bucky led Rayna through the crowded room and she shrugged. "I just don't see why it couldn't have waited till tomorrow."

"Adria..She comes highly recommended, a great guitarist." Bucky answered. "She was passing through…I thought you'd wanna meet her…especially when you're looking for a permanent replacement."

"I'm not lookin' for anythin'."

"You're not looking for anyone?" He asked curiously.

"I don't need to."

"So Liam's sticking around?"

"Yeah, he is stickin' around." She said harshly, doing a double take as she tried to read into what Bucky was saying.

"Ok….and how's the album coming along having your lead guitarist splitting time between shows _and_ studios at the one time?"

"Deacon and I did it plenty of times, you know that."

"Who said anything about Deacon?" Bucky questioned, smirking as he watched Rayna backpedal. "When you and Deacon were recording he wasn't producing the album, you didn't have kids and you certainly weren't trying to start up a new label…this is a whole other monster."

"Buck, the record's comin' along fine."

"I thought the original plan was for Liam to come on tour to record, not be your back up...I don't understand, we were gonna find a new lead gui-"

"-I thought you liked Liam?-"

"-I don't want to fight. All I'm sayin' is she'd be a good fit." Bucky confessed.

"I've got a guitarist."

"You and I both know Liam's not a fixed deal…at least not as a lead for the tour…Ray, are you choosing _not_ to look because you're wanting _someone_ to know that the position's open if they want it?"

"I don't know what you're askin' me." She lied, avoiding his gaze.

"He's got a job Ray…he's Juliette's band manager."

"Wh-?!...this has nothin' to do with Deacon." She scoffed, crossing her arms as she paused to choose her words.

"I'm not so sure."

"Bucky, thanks for introducin' me to Adria but right now I've got it all covered…this has nothin' to do with Deacon…_Liam_ is a good fit." She countered, rolling eyes as Bucky raised an eyebrow at the disregard of his comment and her change of track. "Mmm…not like that…Liam and I…we're not-"

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to."

"I wasn't talking about Liam...but if you're bringing it up...What else do you expect me to think? You're set on keeping him around and I can't help thinki-"

"-Stop thinkin'. She interrupted, holding up a hand. "Think nothin' because nothin' is goin' on there." She smiled, shaking the awkwardness in the thread of conversation. "Anyway…if that's all I'm gonna head up to my room. It's been a long day-"

"-Ok well I've gotta find Deacon anyw-" Bucky mumbled, shifting his weight as he looked over her shoulder.

"Deacon!?" She squeaked, her eyes shooting up at Bucky as she blushed. Her mind flashed to the poolside, the aimless conversation and the few short seconds before her cell phone had rung. "Why!? What'd Deacon say?"

Bucky looked at her sceptically, surprised at her sudden burst in volume and questioning. "What'd you mean what did Deacon say?"

"Nothin', Don't worry." Rayna quickly replied, clearing her throat as she stepped past him. "I'll see you tomorrow Buck."

"See you tomorrow Ray." He replied, watching her closely as she made a beeline for the door. He shook his head, pulling out his cell phone. "So much for this having nothing to do with Deacon."

**- NASHVILLE -**

**One week later…**

"Maddie we're not havin' this conversation again."

"Mom, you're sayin' we can't pursue a career in music…I wanna have this conversation again." Maddie demanded, leaning against her guitar as she glared at her Rayna in the dressing room mirror. "I don't get why don't want us pursuing a career in music, you did."

"Hon…I…I don't think right now its somethin' you should be doin'…not as a profession. You girls need to be figurin' out what you like, figurin' out what makes you happy." Rayna stumbled, her gaze moving between Maddie and Tandy who sat on the arm of chair behind her.

"We already know that music is what makes us happy."

"Really happy." Daphne added, studying herself in the mirror as she strutted back and forth in one of Rayna's overpriced jackets.

"Yeah ok but going about it _professionally_…right now…now's the time when you should be studyin', practicin' your music, enjoyin' your childh-." Rayna replied calmly.

"-I'm not a child." Maddie snapped.

"You're acting like one." Daphne giggled, still looking at herself in the mirror while she spun around pretending to be a model. Tandy looked up from her cell phone briefly, hiding a smile as she watched.

"Say's you! You're like-"

"-Whatever, I-"

"-I'm thirteen stupid."

"Hey! _hey_…" Rayna interrupted, silencing the two.

"I don't understand. Why would you give me this." Maddie argued, holding up the guitar. "And then not let me do what I love?"

"No one said anythin' about not lettin' you do what you love…I gave you that guitar _because_ I love you and I know expressin' yourself through music is somethin' you're really good at." Rayna clarified, smiling at her hair stylist who was awkwardly trying to remain invisible.

"You didn't give me anything." Daphne mumbled, raising an eyebrow as Rayna looked at her through the mirror, taken aback by her unexpected comment.

"Can't you at least think about signing us to your new label?" Maddie asked, looking from Daphne to Rayna.

"We both wanna be performers." Daphne exclaimed, jumping excitedly before breaking out into the chorus of 'Already Gone' with a hairbrush she'd taken off the counter in front of Rayna. Stifling giggles, Rayna's stylists watched Rayna in anticipation of what she would say.

"Come on y'all…no one is gettin' signed to anything."

"You're thinking of signing Uncle Deacon's niece…why not us?" Maddie complained.

"That's completely differen-"

"-Hey Molly." Tandy interrupted, gesturing to the assistant that was sitting in the corner of the dressing room on her cell phone. "Can you take the girls for a walk, somethin'…anythin'…craft services?"

"Great idea." Rayna nodded, her eyes following the girls as they reluctantly walked out with her assistant.

"Do you think we could have a moment?" Tandy asked, looking up at the stylists that stood around Rayna.

"Thanks y'all…" Rayna added, smiling as they put down curling wands and hairspray and walked out.

"Alright…what's goin' on?" Tandy asked, walking over to shut the dressing room door.

"I'm not signin' my daughter's to my own label Tandy, they're just ki-."

"-I'm not talkin' about that, of course you're not gonna sign them…not now anyway…I'm talkin' about you."

"Wh-?" Rayna started, looking up at her sister through the mirror. Tandy tilted her head, pursing her lips as she watched Rayna. "What about me?"

"You haven't been yourself, not now, not this whole week."

"Tandy there's a lot goin' on…the tour, the record…hell the new label."

"You do realise I'm not some reporter or a publicist?...I'm you're sister and those excuses aren't gonna fly with me." Tandy replied, crossing her arms. "Spill it."

Rayna exhaled, muttering expletives as she leant on the dressing room counter. Tandy moved to stand against the counter, scratching her head as she watched Rayna.

"Deacon." Tandy said reluctantly, pausing as Rayna's eyes suddenly met hers. "Not that I listen to the talk amongst the crew…but…the rumours about Deacon…are they true?"

Laughing bitterly, Rayna played with a stick of mascara. "If you're talkin' about the one where he's got a girlfriend than yeah, they're true."

"Girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend."

"That explains it then…" Tandy shook her head, raising a hand to her hip. "No wonder you've been all….." She continued, making faces after the last word in an attempt to express what she meant.

"Me?! I'm fine." Rayna lied, letting out a forced laugh. "Why would you say that?"

Although she didn't want to admit it, Rayna knew that what Tandy was saying was right. She had been the furthest thing from a bundle of joy these last few weeks, these last few days in particular. Amongst avoiding Deacon, she had replayed and over analysed every detail of the night at the pool in her head. This was just another example of how they managed to get into the same situations, circumstances where neither knew what was supposed to come next. Except this time it was different because she held the other end of the stick, she was the one who had sat watching from the sidelines as he held someone else. It didn't scare her when she thought about Deacon nearly kissing her that night; it scared her that she would have let him. Rayna knew she would be lying if she said that she didn't wish she could say his arms belonged to her, but the truth was they didn't, not now. It wasn't fair on either of them leaving unsaid unspoken but they always seemed to base everything on upholding that standard, they depended on it. They were both far too stubborn to change tracks and speak their minds, or maybe it was fear that they'd be left standing alone when all was said and done. Rayna couldn't be sure. In between fits of sleep where she'd tiptoed around her own thoughts, she'd finally decided that pushing that moment at the pool and pushing Deacon back into the corners of her mind would be for the best. Maybe they could do this, fool themselves into the hearts of other people; that was what she was talking herself into believing anyway. Rayna ran a hand through her hair, looking blankly over at Tandy.

"Sweetie, the last thing you seem is fine."

"Tandy, you need to stop with the questions…please."

"Sorry, I just never thought he'd start datin-" Tandy started.

"-Me either." Rayna interrupted, immediately regretting the haste in her reply. "But he is…and that's what he wants so that's all there is, no more."

"Are you sure?"

"Tandy!"

"You're ok with it?" Tandy asked, ignoring Rayna. "You're not ok with this...you should talk to him."

"Tandy!" Rayna started, glaring at her sister. "Yeah I am, would you just leave it?"

"I'm jus-"

Abruptly, the door flew open, Daphne suddenly appearing. "Mommy, Maddie's arguing with Molly and she won't listen to me…she's kinda being rude. I was gonna find Uncle Deac-"

"-No no baby it's ok." Rayna panicked, pausing to change her tone. "Mommy'll be out in just a second ok, I've gotta finish talkin' with Aunt Tandy about somethin'."

"Ok." She nodded, apologising as she shut the door.

"Maddie is gonna be the death of me I swear." Rayna muttered, burying her head in her palms.

"You know that her arguin' with you isn't the issue…Rayna they idolise you."

"Right now, I think I'm the last person they're idolising...have you seen them followin' Juliette around?"

"Mmm, it's you that they idolise…and if they wanna fantasize a little bit about what it would be like to be a big superstar like their Momma than what's the harm in lettin' them? Especially if it helps them through what they're going through at the moment." Tandy offered, pushing off the counter as she smiled at Rayna.

"Tandy, the harm is that I have two daughters who are really talented…I don't want to see them get hurt by this business...I've seen what it ca-" Rayna choked.

"-At their age they can't see that, all they hear is no."

"I don't know I-"

"-I'm not suggestin' you sign them to anythin'." Tandy soothed, brushing a piece of hair off Rayna's face. "Just think about what I said."

Rayna nodded, taking a deep breath as she looked at herself in the mirror. Tandy pursued her lips, walking over to the dressing room door before turning around to speak. "That goes for what I said about Deacon too."

**- NASHVILLE -**

Standing at the steps that led up onto the stage, Rayna smiled, clapping as musicians and crewmembers piled around to see what the commotion was about. Rayna watched her daughters take their places on the stage and she shouted, proudly introducing them. "Daphne and Maddie everybody!"

Applause filled the arena floor as Maddie began to strum the guitar and Rayna moved to get a better view. Tandy nudged her when everyone simultaneously fell into a steady call and response of ho and hey, making her smile as they joined in.

"I don't know where I belong. I don't know where I went wrong." Daphne sang, smiling at Maddie who then took the melody. "But I can write a song."

Rayna beamed, feeling an overwhelming sense of pride as they sang to a captive audience. She stifled a giggle when Daphne jumped, caught off guard by the band's impromptu decision to join the song. Daphne spun around, taking everything in and Maddie grinned, struggling not to turn her attention to the band. Shifting her weight, Rayna watched as the girls began singing a new verse and found herself thinking about Deacon. Where was he? Was he here? She forced herself not to look around.

"I'll be standing on Canal and Bowery." They sang, moving in time with the steady rhythm. Rayna was lost in the music, keeping time with the song as watched on.

"Ho!" Deacon called from a far, grinning as Rayna turned around and acknowledged him, surprise written all over her face.

"Hey!" Rayna replied, blushing as she looked back up at the stage. She grinned. _What was I thinkin'? Of course he'd be here._

"Standing next to me." The girls sang.

Deacon unexpectedly appeared next to Rayna and she jumped, momentarily hiding her face to recover. They hadn't been around each other, not since the night at the pool; at least not like this, not this close. In a matter of moments, Rayna found herself getting every kind of nervous and different shade of pink. She cursed herself for letting herself feel this way but she couldn't help it. Rayna laughed as Deacon joined in, singing the first line of the chorus. He nudged her, hinting for her to join him but she was too amused watching.

"I belong with you, you belong with me." Deacon sang softly.

"You're my sweetheart." Rayna smiled, giving in before she turned and pushed him away. He shook his head, feigning hurt but she laughed, ignoring Tandy's smirk as she turned her attention back to the stage. Rayna felt Tandy's eye's burning into her shoulder and she pretended she didn't notice. There was no way she would give her the satisfaction of entertaining whatever thoughts she had running around in her head.

"I belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweetheart." Maddie and Daphne finished, the final chords of the song ringing out as everybody erupted into applause.

"Wooooohhh…!" Rayna screamed, throwing her hands in the air. Both girls detached themselves from instruments and microphones and ran down into Rayna's arms.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Maddie squealed, holding Rayna tight. "We actually got to sing on the same stage as you, I can't believe it."

"Honey, y'all were both incredible." Rayna beamed, pulling both girls closer.

"Mom, did you see it? You're whole band like knew our song!...our song Mom." Daphne grinned. "So cool."

"Isn't that just the craziest thing?" Rayna laughed, biting her lip as she watched her youngest look back up at the band in wonder.

"You two! Come here!" Tandy shrieked, pulling the girls into a hug. "I'm so proud of you!"

Tandy's phone began buzzing and she rolled her eyes. "Listen girls, I'm not done with tellin' you how great y'all are…but I have to answer this. I'll be 2 seconds."

Rayna smiled, watching both girls talk excitedly as a Tech guy handed her a power pack and microphone. "Thanks. Tell the guys sound check in 5 ok."

"All I've gotta say is that your Momma better watch out because I'm lookin' at her biggest competition." Deacon called. Rayna turned around and shook her head, hiding a smile.

"Deacon!" Daphne squealed, leaving Maddie's side to run into his arms. "Did you see us?"

"I did little lady and y'all killed it out there."

"We're not as good as Mom though." Maddie smiled, looking from Rayna to Deacon.

"Not yet." Daphne corrected, smiling cheekily as Rayna pretended to be offended.

"Maybe don't say that too loudly." Deacon smirked, watching the two girls giggle.

"Are you gonna watch Mom's sound check?" Maddie asked absentmindedly, looking up at the stage. Deacon looked from Maddie to Rayna letting his eyes stay on Rayna's for a moment.

"Not today…definitely some other time though." Deacon grinned, hugging both girls as they begged him not to leave. "I'll see you later."

Rayna laughed, watching the girl's whinge about Deacon leaving but stopped short when she caught sight of Tandy. She looked shaken, fear heavy on her body as she walked towards them.

"Are you ok? Who was that?" Rayna asked, pointing at her cell phone as she stepped towards her sister.

"Um…" Tandy choked, forcing a smile as the two younger girls looked over at them. Turning her back, she pulled Rayna away from the little listening ears before whispering. "That was the hospital...Rayna, Daddy had a heart attack."


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

**The next day…**

"I miss you too." Deacon smiled, looking at his feet as he talked to Stacey on the phone. "I don't think you know…but go on thinkin' that…alright I'll talk to you later…you too…bye."

Deacon pushed his cell phone into his pocket and headed back into the lobby. He stopped short, listening to someone giving orders to a number of roadies. "Hey Bill, we're cancellin'? Why?"

"You haven't heard? Rayna and the girls flew back to Nashville early this morning, her Dad's in the hospital. Guess it must be pretty bad." Bill replied, breaking conversation to run after someone mishandling equipment.

Deacon ran his hands through his hair, spinning on his heel. Reflexively he pulled his cell phone out; fumbling to find the number he wanted. He let his fingers hover over the number, fighting the tug-of-war-like play of emotions that stopped him hitting the call button. Would she even want to hear from him? Was she alright? Hell, should he even be calling her? Deacon swore, shaking his head as he stared at the lit up screen. Before he could talk himself round for the fourth time he'd dialled Rayna's number.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Deacon, the show is five hours away we're not takin' a break." Juliette shot, glaring at him as he pulled her away from the band, stepping to centre stage.

"You know you're askin' a hell of a lot from all these people…I don't see why you wouldn't just bring in another act or….you know, cancel the damn thing."

"Why should I have to cancel?"

"Expanding your set, yellin' at your band and tryin' to get somethin' half decent together this close to show time is crazy-"

"-It's _not_ crazy and I don't think I'm expectin' too much askin' y'all to get on board." Juliette countered, moving her microphone from one hand to another.

"This is stupid." He breathed.

"You wanna know what stupid is? Stupid is you takin' out on me whatever is goin' on with you at the moment." Juliette warned, looking at him knowingly.

"Me?! How does anythin' about me have anythin' to do with this? I'm not the one expandin-"

"-Are you gonna make me spell it out?" She hissed, stepping closer to him. "You honestly can't see it?"

"Go on then Juliette, don't let me stop you now…What am I takin' out on you?"

"Rayna. You're angry because you weren't her go to guy….She didn't tell you about her Dad and now you're stuck on wonderin' why…you're takin' it out on me, this…on everything...we all know that she's got her Dad-"

"-Angry? Rayna…this…I haven't-" He replied furiously, clutching the neck of the guitar tightly as he changed tracks. "I don't see you doin' anythin' to help her out. You're usin' her family emergency to boost your own ego for cryin' out loud."

"You want me to cancel my show for her?" Juliette exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

"This isn't just your show, remember? You wouldn't even have this show without each other." He spat.

"Deacon, she doesn't need our help! She would have asked."

"She shouldn't have to."

"For someone who was claimin' to be_ uninvolved._" Juliette muttered, gesturing at him as she grimaced. "You seem _pretty_ involved to me."

Deacon shot her a look, warning her to back off. "I care Juliette, that's all."

"Right now you're doin' a lot more than carin'."

"We're not talkin' about this anymore."

Juliette exhaled, wiping her face before she looked out at the empty arena. "I can't cancel the show, I won't."

"Fine." He seethed. "But it doesn't mean I have to like doin' this, not tonight."

"Seriously?" She spat, watching him walk backwards. "Real mature."

"Say's you who can't even think about cancelling one damn show."

Juliette swore under her breath, angry that he wouldn't own his part in this argument. His words were denying every challenge she put to him about Rayna, but his attitude was giving his feelings away.

"For the record, this _crazy_." He countered, gesturing around the stage. "Has nothin' to do with me…it's all on you."

Deacon disregarded her verbal attack and pulled out his cell phone. Calling his voicemail he turned around, tuning out Juliette as she talked to the band. He swore when he heard the monotone voice on the other end of the line. _You have no new messages. _

**- NASHVILLE - **

"Thanks." He mumbled appreciatively, looking at Juliette.

"I dunno why you're thankin' me…I didn't cancel my show." She shrugged, looking at him through her dressing room mirror as she picked up a paper cup with coffee in it.

"You know what I mean." He replied, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket.

Deacon had been less than enthusiastic about Juliette's supposed bright idea of expanding the set so she could have a full show. The blow up with Juliette at sound check had only intensified his aversion to the idea. It had put him on edge, unwittingly fixing him with an agitated disposition. He couldn't concentrate; all of his thoughts were firmly stuck on Rayna. He hated that he didn't know if she was ok. He hated that he wasn't close to her. So caught up in his on frustrations, Deacon had been taken by surprise when Juliette abruptly brought the show to a close 6 songs away from the agreed full setlist. She had simply thanked the arena of screaming people and walked off the stage, leaving her band open mouthed and in shock. Deacon knew that she would deny having done this to show that she cared, or done this for him, but he was grateful all the same.

"Why are you still here anyway?" Juliette probed, spinning around on her seat to face him.

"Hmm?"

"Oh please, you should know better than anyone that you're not waitin' till tomorrow to catch a plane."

"Juliette-" He started, putting his cell phone to his ear.

"-Go, we both know you're goin' back to Nashville tonight." Juliette smirked, taking a sip of her coffee as she watched his facial expression soften when he listened to a voice message. Distracted, Deacon smiled weakly and began walking backwards towards the dressing room door. "Say hi for me when you see her."

"Say hi to who?"

"To Rayna…" She said flatly; offended that he didn't get her less than subtle hint the first time around. "That's who the message is from isn't it?"

**- NASHVILLE -**

Anxiously pacing back and forth in the hospital corridor, Deacon cracked his knuckles. He had been here for a good half hour, fighting a vicious circle as he kept his eyes fixed on curtains that stood dutifully around Lamar's hospital bed. He would rehearse what he wanted to say, gather enough courage to go inside and then find himself taking a walk down the hallway in the opposite direction. The first time he'd actually seen Rayna since the other night had been at the sound check yesterday. He and Rayna hadn't actually talked since the poolside incident; admittedly he didn't even know where to start when it came to it. Judging by Rayna's distance, he assumed she felt the same. They were both well versed in pulling the covers up over anything that saw them crossing the comfortable line they'd drawn these past twelve years, this being no exception. When he'd heard about Lamar he'd fought the urge to get on the first flight back to Nashville. Not knowing how Rayna would react if he turned up unannounced, he'd settled for brewing as he waited for something, anything from her to show him that she might need him. Waiting had pulled his patience out from underneath him and his mouth had gotten him in to all sorts of trouble. He had sworn black and blue that his concern for Rayna had stemmed from the innocence of caring, but Deacon knew that Juliette saw it was so much more than that. The relief that had overcome him when he had reluctantly checked his cell phone after the show was overwhelming. Rayna's voice message had told him everything he needed, the fragility and exhaustion in her tone giving her away. A nurse passed him and asked if he was lost and he gave his excuses and kindly sent her on her way.

Deacon shook his head, impulsively pulling out his cell phone. He dialled his voicemail and followed the prompts, hitting 6 on the keypad to replay Rayna's message. _Truth is I don't really know how I am at the moment...I hate this...but I don't wanna bother you with all that…I just wanted to call you and…thank you for calling me…um…I guess I'll talk to you. _Deacon looked at the door again, wiping his forehead as he thought. He had two choices, to stay or to leave. Unthinkingly, he let out a heavy breath and walked forward. Who was he fooling? There was no way he was leaving.

Slowly edging into the hospital room and around the curtain, his eyes darted back and forth. Sedated, Lamar lay on a hospital bed in the middle of the room, hooked up to machines that beeped in a discordant refrain. Deacon's breath hitched when his eyes fell on Rayna who sat asleep, huddled in an armchair off to the side of the bed. He had hesitated when he'd reached out to wake her but when she had woken she had readily collapsed into his arms, release flooding through her as she held him close. He could feel her trembling as he held her so he had changed his position, pulling her tighter into himself as they moved to sit in silence, both grateful for the moment alone.

**NASHVILLE –**

"Thanks for the coffee." Rayna smiled, watching Deacon take a seat next to her. "Caffeine is exactly what I need right about now."

"You." He whispered, raising an eyebrow. "Could really use some sleep right about now."

"Says you...you just flew from New York...Speakin' of which how was the show? Did you Boy's N Buses it up?"

"It was interesting..." He said slowly. "And you look a hell of a lot worse than me...you need to sle-"

"-Gee thanks." She grinned, lifting her coffee cup to her mouth.

"You're welcome." He smirked.

"I'm not goin' anywhere." She replied, hiding a yawn. "I've gotta be here for Daddy and besides I promised Tandy I'd stay…you know, to help."

"You're not gonna be any help to anyone if you end up passed out on the floor." He nodded, pointing at the ground as he spoke.

"You talkin' from experience?" Rayna challenged, quickly moving to dodge his hand as he reached out to push her. Deacon missed her and she giggled, covering her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

"Hold up!"

"Shhhh!" She chuckled, hastily looking over at Lamar as she reached out to cover Deacon's mouth. "Don't you dare wake him."

Deacon pushed her hand away, holding his hands up in defeat as he assured her he'd be quiet. Rayna looked at him sceptically but he didn't mind, he was just happy that she was smiling. When he'd first arrived he had noticed a weariness clinging heavily to her features, her eyes heavy and her disposition fragile. He wanted to take it from her, these things that were causing her turmoil, and if that meant finding ways to make her smile that was what he would do.

"Well….it's nice to see _someone_ gettin' their beauty sleep I suppose." Deacon shrugged, lifting a coffee cup up to his lips. "But then again…right now I'm pretty sure it should be you…you need it."

"Deacon."

"Rayna." He antagonised, mimicking her tone. She bit her tongue and looked the other way, hiding her smile with her hand. "He'll be ok Ray…it's gonna take a lot more than this to keep him down."

"I hope so."

"Trust me…with this, I'm talkin' from experience…All the years I've known Lamar, when he's set on somethin', he'll fight till he gets it. He ain't about to lose to this…He'll get through it because he's too damn stubborn to have it any other way." Deacon soothed, smirking as he looked over at her. "Speakin' of _stubborn_…Kinda sounds like someone else I know_._"

"Me?" She scoffed, shaking her head in disagreement. "Never."

"You, never." He replied, making a face as he nodded. "I recall many a time that you'd start an argument with people just coz you didn't like somethin'…Correction, I recall times you _still_ get into arguments coz you don't like somethin'."

"You're makin' me out to sound like some highly strung diva." She replied, waving her hand in the air. "Hell, you're makin' me out to sound like Juliette Barnes."

"Want me to start listin' off all the times I remember? Because I will." He continued, holding his fingers up to start counting. "Oh and Juliette says to say hi by the way, she sends her-"

"Juliette?...As in Juliette Barnes?"

"Ah yeah, who else would I mean?" Deacon replied matter-of-factly, smiling as Rayna scratched her head and held a look of confusion.

"That girl confuses me I tell you...anyway, I dunno…I wouldn't say I was a diva…but I did have a mouth on me." Rayna reminisced, biting a nail as she watched a smirk fall across Deacon's face.

"Some things never change I gues-"

"-Shut up!" She laughed, smacking his arm.

Rayna leant on the arm of her chair, looking off into the distance as she mumbled absentmindedly. "Bein' here has got me thinkin'….I miss…sometimes I feel like I wish everything was different…If I'd just…I dunno."

"What'd you say?" He asked, straightening in his chair to face her.

Looking fleetingly over at him she realised he'd heard her. She ignored his question, looking at Lamar as she spoke. "I'm so tired right now I don't even know what I'm sayin'."

Deacon looked her quizzically, watching her as she ran a finger around the top of her coffee cup. "I _told_ you that you need sleep."

"Whatever, I won't be gettin' any sleep now thanks to this." She replied, holding up her coffee cup.

They both sat in a comfortable silence, neither in a hurry to take the conversation in any particular direction.

"You really didn't have to come." She smiled weakly, pulling her knees up to her chest as she sat in the chair.

"Why didn't you call me sooner?"

"I-" She started, letting the rest of the sentence play in her head. She had tried calling him sooner; well she'd made more attempts than she could count to call him but she had always hung up after the first ring. She hadn't expected him to come but had been more than relieved to see his face when he'd woken her up. Rayna looked over at Deacon, letting him finish her sentence on his own as she sat quietly.

"There was no way I wasn't comin'…I heard somethin' in your voice…in that message that." He started, his voice cracking as he looked up at her. "…sounded like you neede…like you needed me."

"Thank you." She whispered, reaching out for his hand.

Leaning her head back against the chair, Rayna kept her eyes fixed on his. "For coming…I mean it."

Nervous, Deacon broke the contact, shaking the mood as he moved to stand. "…I should go."

"Ok." Rayna mumbled, fumbling to stand as she tried to figure out how they had gotten from a thank you to a goodbye. "Say hi to Stacey for me…hell, thank her for me for sharin' you...I really appreciate it."

Deacon smiled grimly, reality playing on his mind as he put everything back into perspective. _Stacey_. His girlfriend. Unwittingly, Rayna's words had been a cruel reminder that right now he was anywhere but the place he should have been, regardless of how much his insides were disagreeing with him. Looking up at Rayna he swallowed hard, clearing his throat before he spoke. "You take care Ray."

**- NASHVILLE -**

Knocking on Stacey's front door Deacon took a step back, briefly looking in the window to the left for any signs on movement. Stepping back to knock again, he smiled when the door flew open.

"What are you doing here?!" Stacey beamed, shock in her voice as she stood open mouthed.

"We had a travel day-" He started, stepping closer.

"-And you missed me." She finished, jumping into his arms as his lips met hers.

"Yeah I did."

"You flew all the way back to Nashville just for me?" She smiled, running her fingers through his hair as she stood comfortably in his arms. "I guess I was wrong when I said that I miss you more."

Deacon stepped away from the embrace and reached for her hands, smiling as she looked up at him curiously.

"What?" She laughed.

"Come with me." He asked, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Come where with you?" Stacey questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"On the road…come with me."


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN**

**One week later…**

Standing in an elevator heading down to the lobby, Rayna pulled out her cell phone and giggled. Along with a message, Maddie and Daphne had sent her a picture of them both pulling hideous faces. She missed them but knew that they needed to be in Nashville right now. They wanted to be close to their Grandfather after his stint in hospital. Rayna hadn't argued the point and she'd dropped them off to Teddy yesterday before heading out to Los Angeles to re-join the tour. They had said their goodbyes, promising to call and video chat whenever Rayna's schedule allowed them to.

Shifting her weight from one foot to another, Rayna began to write a reply to her daughters, smirking as her fingers moved quickly. The elevator rattled to a stop eight floors from her destination and she looked up as the doors creaked open. Smiling briefly at a blonde headed woman who tentatively stepped in, Rayna returned her attention to her cell phone.

"I'm so late." The woman muttered, pulling at her jacket as she hit the button for the ground floor. Rayna smirked, thinking about how late she was too. She'd told Bucky she'd meet him in the lobby a half hour ago but had gotten delayed talking to the girls on the phone.

"Tell me about it." Rayna chuckled, interrupting the woman's rambling.

"This is definitely not a good time though." The blonde replied, pursing her lips as she blushed. "Someone's waiting for me and its kind of a big deal for him…I guess it's a big deal for me too."

Rayna smiled, looking up from her cell phone screen. "Trust me when I say that stressin' about bein' late is a hell of a lot worse than bein' late…I'm talkin' from experience…I'm sure he'll understand."

The woman let out a long breath, returning the smile. "Being late makes for a bad first impression doesn't it?"

Rayna watched her, unable to place how strangely familiar she seemed. There was something about her that she couldn't place. Pushing it out of her thoughts she stood quietly, curiously taking in the conversation that was unfolding before her. This woman was either very good at being discreet and respecting privacy, or she had no idea who Rayna was. Rayna didn't go out with the expectation that people would recognise her, but it was often times like this where she would get stuck in elevators and end up signing autographs and answering people's questions about the tour, a new record or anything they'd stored in their minds for the off chance they'd meet her. Sometimes, this could be rather confronting but over the years she had gotten used it, taking it in her stride. After all, it was part of the territory when you had been branded as the 'Queen of Country Music'. However, this conversation was nothing like those. It had quite possibly been the most normal conversation she'd shared in an elevator with a stranger.

"First date?" Rayna asked, tapping the send button on her cell phone. The woman shook her head and Rayna tried again. "If it's not a first date, you look like… are you meetin' the family?"

"You could say that I guess."

Abruptly the elevator came to a halt, jerking both women out of conversation and putting them back into reality as the doors opened.

"As long as you get to wherever it is you're goin'…I don't think he'll mind too much." Rayna offered, stepping out of the elevator and into the lobby. "Smile…try smilin' when you get there…it helps to cover up the fact you're _freakin'_ out."

Rayna caught sight of Bucky and waved before looking back at the blonde headed woman. Already walking backwards towards the main entrance, the woman smiled at Rayna and waved, breaking eye contact with her as she pulled out her ringing cell phone and turned on her heel. "Hi….Yes this is she, it's Stacey."

Walking up to Rayna, Bucky cocked his head as he let his eyes find what she was looking at. She stood numbly, still in shock as her memories crashed into one another. The Country Club, the talk with Deacon at the restrooms and the woman he had kissed shortly after he'd walked out. That was her, she was Stacey. She was Deacon's Stacey. Bucky cleared his throat and spoke reluctantly. "Hey..Are you ok? You look like you're about to be sick."

**- NASHVILLE -**

"You work with all these people?" Stacey smiled, looking around as she and Deacon walked the busy passageways backstage.

"Yeah most of them." He replied, pointing loosely to a room on their right. "That there is the VIP room for afterwards."

"Oh nice." She laughed, watching Deacon as he quickly said hello to a few people as they walked past.

"Over there's the crew." Deacon continued, gesturing to people as he quickly listed their responsibilities and names. "And that there…is my boss."

"I hope you don't expect me to remember names…I'm real bad with names." Stacey begged. Deacon laughed before catching Juliette's attention.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself." Juliette grinned, sending her assistant away on an errand before she turned to give them her full attention. Juliette assumed a sugary tone and held out her hand to Stacey. "You must be Stacey…It's a pleasure to _finally_ meet you."

"Thank you, I've heard so much about you." Stacey nodded.

"Really? Well I can't same the same." Juliette smiled at Deacon. "Deacon's been pretty _closed_ when it comes to sharin' his feelings…or relationship status for that matter."

Deacon shot her a look, pulling Stacey tighter into himself as Juliette held a steady smile.

"Don't worry, what I've heard…it's all been good." Stacey assured.

Juliette let out a low laugh, looking from Deacon to Stacey. "Oh well, he must not have told you everythin' then."

Stacey smiled awkwardly before turning her head in the direction of the doors that led out into the arena. Music fell into the passageway; guitars, drums, mandolins, violins and keyboards playing the familiar riff to the beginning of Already Gone.

"Well…" Juliette spoke, breaking the silence as she looked around. "We're all about to head into the main arena if you wanna join us?"

Deacon did a double take, sizing Juliette up as he wondered what she was talking about. "When do you ever go to Rayna's sound checks?"

"I had this revelation that I need to be doin' everythin' I can to develop and expand who I am as an artist…and I thought…Who better to learn from than Rayna?" Juliette exclaimed sarcastically, grinning at Deacon who wasn't buying the lines she was spinning. "I mean I just _love_ her...Stacey, you'll really like her too-"

"-Is that right?" Deacon questioned.

"And if y'all are headin' that way…I _definitely_ don't wanna miss it." Juliette smirked, tilting her head as she gave Deacon a knowing look. Deacon chuckled, realising her game.

Juliette had appeared to be happy to have met Stacey but she didn't believe it for a second, believe that Deacon was happy where he was. Deacon had done his best to ignore Juliette's less than subtle comments that involved Rayna, but his actions did everything they could to give him away. Juliette wasn't stupid. If Stacey was going to meet Rayna, she wanted a front row seat.

"See you in there." Juliette grinned, patting Deacon on the shoulder as she and a few of the crew headed for the main arena.

Stacey let out an uneasy laugh, eyes wide as she looked at Deacon. "Wow. She's a real firecracker isn't she?"

"Mmmm." He agreed, thinking about how Stacey had thought Juliette was intense. She hadn't met Rayna yet.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Rayna stepped away from her microphone stand, angrily pulling out her earpieces before speaking into the microphone. "I can't hear myself through these…If y'all could sort it out that'd be great."

"Someone's got their knickers in a twist." Liam mumbled, stepping up to centre stage to stand next to Rayna. "…That someone being you."

Rayna scoffed, picking up a water bottle. "They're messin' with the fold back…how hard is it to-"

"-I suggest you untwist those knickers of yours if we're all gonna make it through this sound check in one piece."

"Funny…You're hilarious." She replied dryly, keeping a straight face.

"Stacey is a common name you know….But-"

Rayna rolled her eyes, avoiding his gaze as she smiled at a crew guy running across the stage.

"I doubt it was her…a million people have that name…lot's of Stacey's in L.A…I can feel it." He joked, stepping away from Rayna out of fear he would get slapped.

"I do not have anythin' in a twist." She shushed, ignoring his attempts to rationalise away the elevator experience she'd told him about when she'd arrived at the arena.

"Really?" He laughed, looking her up and down. "You could have fooled me."

"If Deacon wants to bring someone on the road…good for him…." She choked out, the words tasting sour in her mouth as she forced a smile before quickly adding. "But if that's what he wants to do…I really don't care."

"What was she like?...Stacey…"

"Seriously? I dunno Liam…It's not like we exchanged numbers…It's not like you can do a hell of a lot on a ride down to the lobby in an elevator." She scoffed, recoiling after the last sentence. She had practically walked into having to wear whatever smart comment he'd be sure to make.

"Well you and Deacon sur-" He started, smiling wickedly only to be interrupted.

"-No _no_, don't go there." Rayna bit her lip, shaking her head.

"You went there first."

"Trust me, it was not intentional."

"You seemed to find enough time to give _elevator Stacey_ relationship advice…You're such a kind soul." He teased, patting her arm as he raised an eyebrow. "Whatever, you can't even be sure it was who you thought it was-"

"-Ok enough…this conversation right here is exactly what's makin' it difficult to 'untwist' anything." She interjected, loosely making quotation marks in the air. "…and you..Now you're just annoyin' me."

"I thought you said you weren'-"

She smiled gratefully as a voice echoed through a fold back at the front of the stage to tell her to try her earpieces again, cutting Liam off mid sentence as he looked around to pay attention. Rayna turned around to face the band, smiling as she pulled her microphone off the stand and walked towards them. "Alright y'all, how about we try goin' from the second chorus of Stompin' Grounds? See if my foldba-"

"-You may wanna rethink that idea." Liam said slowly, his eyes fixed on the sound desk towards the back of the arena.

"What? Why?" She squeaked, her hair flying everywhere as she spun around to look at him.

"You know how you were saying you didn't care?" He asked, still looking straight ahead. Rayna shrugged, crossing her arms as she frowned at him. "Might not be a bad idea to remember that right about now."

"What are you talkin' about?" She asked, straining to see what he was looking at as she walked up to him.

"I _think_ someone's gone and made today 'Bring Your Girlfriend To Work Day'." Liam replied, clenching his teeth as he smiled at her. Uneasiness fell across Rayna's face as she looked from Liam to the sound desk, discomfort filling her from head to toe. Her silence was enough of an indicator for Liam to know not to make any wisecrack jokes. "That's her isn't it?…_elevator Stacey_."

"Hey guys…why don't y'all take 5 ok." She instructed, disregarding Liam's comment as her eyes stayed firmly on the activity surrounding the sound desk.

Amongst a frenzy of laughter and hand shaking with different musicians and crew guys stood the woman she had met on the elevator hours before. She thought about how much it resembled a family gathering; that moment when you bring someone new into the circle and you wait to see whether they are accepted or rejected. She let out a low laugh, cursing herself as she thought back to the conversation in the elevator. _Meetin' the family? You could say that I guess. _Rayna stood soundlessly, suddenly feeling someone's eyes on her. She caught her breath when she found the culprit. Deacon. Their eyes locked for a brief second before he and Stacey began to move, smiling at one another as they walked. Rayna swore, forcing herself to stay put as she watched them head her way.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Oh my gosh I know her!" Stacey shrieked, cutting Deacon off mid sentence as he was explaining the workings of a tour that had two big headliners.

"Who?" He asked, looking behind him to see who she was talking about.

"Not that way." She sighed, pulling him around to face the stage. "Up there. Her."

"Who? Rayna?" He choked, looking from Stacey to the stage where Rayna stood awkwardly, clearly pretending that she hadn't seen them. Out of the corner of his eye, Deacon saw Juliette's mouth drop, eyes wide as she made a face at him. He glared at her, shaking his head fleetingly before he looked at Stacey. Of course Juliette had heard that.

"Yeah."

"You know who Rayna Jaymes is? I thought you said you didn't listen to Country m-?"

"-What are you talking about? I just met her today." She said, confused as to what he was talking about. "Back at the hotel. She was really-"

"-She..._she's_ who you met her today." Deacon grinned, masking the panic that was going on in his mind as he tried to imagine the two women meeting. "That's would have been fun."

"I want to go and say hi." Stacey smiled, pulling Deacon towards one of the isles that led down to the stage. "You know so I can tell her about how you're the one I was late meeting."

"Yeah, I'm sure she's gonna love that." He mumbled, drawing the words out as he forced excitement. He knew Rayna was not going to love this at all.

"Hang on…that's not." Stacey started, looking up at him as they walked. "Rayna Jaymes as in this is her tour you're working on Rayna Jaymes?"

"That would be her, yes."


	11. Chapter 11

**NB: THANKYOU THANKYOU...for every review...I appreciate every single one...It's what makes writing fun, knowing that people are sticking by this story when you leave your thoughts, comments, hates and loves...So if you'd be so kind...KEEP READING & SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS/COMMENTS/HATES/LIKES/HOPESFORNEWCHAPTERS (beside the obvious of wanting Deacon & Rayna together...we will get there soon) Thank you again and enjoy.**

* * *

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Standing at the front of the stage, Deacon hoped that Rayna would look at him but she didn't give him the satisfaction as she pretended to be in deep conversation with Liam.

"Didn't know you were back today." Deacon called, capturing Rayna's attention as he and Stacey walked up the steps in front of the stage. Liam waved, looking at Rayna as her eyes met his.

"Well I am." She shot, clumsily fidgeting with an earpiece that she'd pulled out of her ear. "Just as well….Seems like I've missed a hell of a lot since New York."

Deacon exhaled, sensing the tension begin to simmer on the stage.

"Hi." Stacey interfered, smiling widely.

"Hey." Rayna greeted, embracing a saccharine tone as she spoke to Stacey.

"Long time, no see right?" Stacey joked.

Rayna chuckled. Running a hand through her hair, she mumbled. "Not long enough."

"I'm still confused. How do y'all know each other again?" Deacon asked, interrupting them.

"Yeah, how do you both know each other?" Liam quipped, curious as to where this could go. Rayna shot him a look.

"She's who I was telling you about." Stacey started, looking from Deacon to Rayna. "We met in the elevator at the hotel…it was so random-"

"-It sure was." Rayna smiled, gripping her hands tightly together.

"She?" Liam mouthed; humored by the fact that Stacey had referred to Rayna Jaymes as 'she'.

"Deacon was just telling me about you." Stacey continued. "I just didn't put two and two together."

"Was he?" Rayna replied curiously.

"Mmmhmm…I'm still stuck on the fact that you both actually work together, I mean who'd have thought…" Stacey wondered.

"Who'd have thought." Liam mimicked Stacey, practically singing the words.

"Some of the strangest things can definitely happen in elevators." Stacey stated, playing with her scarf as she smiled widely, unaware of the connotations that that comment had for the other three.

Silence fell between them and Liam choked, clearing his throat as he subtly turned away from the awkwardness. The air between Deacon and Rayna froze and they both scrambled to look anywhere but at one another, both falling victim to their memories as they were reminded of the time Deacon had been _done talking _and what that had led to. Liam stole a look at the pair, noticing that Rayna was blushing while Deacon was looking at the ceiling. He smiled at Stacey, hoping to cover for Deacon and Rayna as they fought to find words.

"You're tellin' me." Rayna said dryly, finally speaking as she looked at Deacon. Letting out a low breath she changed the conversation as she held out her hand. "I'm sorry, I don't actually think we've been properly introduced…Rayna…Rayna Jaymes."

"This is Stacey…She's my…this is my-" Deacon answered, catching Rayna off guard when he spoke.

"-I'm his girlfriend." Stacey smiled. "Deacon is the guy I was telling you about earlier."

"Girlfriend." Rayna replied, eyes wide as she felt her head spin. "That's nice…It's so great that you can come on out and _visit_."

"Oh, I'm not visiting." Stacey shook her head. "Deacon invited me out on the road for a little while…I'm looking after Sue…he's going through withdrawals being away from-"

"-Sue?" Liam interrupted.

"Sue is my puppy." Deacon answered matter-of-factly.

"Y'all have a dog?" Rayna asked, noting that her tone had been a little harsher than she'd intended. Both Deacon and Stacey nodded.

"We could get a dog." Liam joked, trying to break the tension as he looked at Rayna. She let out a low laugh, playing with an earpiece as she declined the offer.

"Oh." Stacey started, stepping closer to Deacon as she spoke. "So you two are together?"

"Us? What, no-" Rayna blurted out, scrunching up her face as she looked at Liam.

"-They're not." Deacon interjected, surprising both women by his sudden input.

Liam smiled slyly at Rayna, eyebrows dancing as he moved over and pulled Rayna into himself. "Ahh sweetheart, no need to lie to the nice people here."

Rayna scoffed, laughing as she shook his arms off her and looked at Stacey and Deacon, Deacon in particular. "You're kiddin'…_He's kiddin'_."

Deacon tensed, clenching his jaw as he and Rayna kept their eyes firmly fixed on one another. Rayna shuddered. If she didn't know him any better she would have sworn that he was jealous, jealous of something that wasn't anything. Usually silence like this found them both exchanging the secrets they couldn't share out loud, each content to look on as their eyes did the talking. But this was different, no stolen looks or sweet exchanges, just a steady fire that burned to disguise the obvious and conflicting emotions they were both feeling.

"Hey guys!" Juliette sung, attracting attention to herself from everyone as she appeared in front of the stage. "Isn't this fun? Everyone back together again...catchin' up and all."

"Yeah…Fun isn't really how I'd put it." Rayna mumbled, stopping when she saw that Deacon had heard her.

"What do _you_ want?" Liam antagonised. "Your sound check doesn't start for another hour. Can't you see we're busy?"

"You." Juliette scoffed, holding up a hand to block out his face. "Are the last person I'm talkin' to at the moment…I know it was you who stole my bean dip."

"You can't prove that."

"You owe me a new one."

"I don't owe you anything!-"

"-Bean dips aside…It was real nice to talk but we've got a sound check to finish anyway…so." Rayna fumbled, clearing her throat as she looked at Liam and a number of guys from the band starting to return.

"Right." Deacon said finally, scratching his head as he stood silently watching Rayna. Juliette rolled her eyes and she noticed that Liam was doing the same. Deacon put his arm around Stacey. "Well we'll let you get back to it."

"Mmmhmm." Rayna nodded, standing awkwardly as she tried to find something to focus on.

"Nice seeing you again." Stacey added, sensing that there might have been more to this conversation than she had been able to comprehend.

"Great meeting you." Liam grinned, overcompensating for Rayna's silence.

Rayna smiled, stepping out of their way as they walked past both her and Liam and said their goodbyes. "Bye."

"I didn't mean to break up the party." Juliette smirked. "But I've gotta ask..what'd y'all think of her?"

"Why are you still here?" Liam exclaimed. "Deacon just left…Don't you usually follow him around?"

"You're such an ass…" Juliette breathed, glaring at him before smiling at Rayna. "…If you'll excuse me…I've gotta go find some bean dip."

"Have fun with that." Liam antagonised, watching her walk away. Rayna laughed, keeping her eyes glued on Juliette as she left.

"She seems nice….Stacey." Liam shrugged, watching Rayna shake her head. "Although, I find it quite amusing she thought we were together…I mean, it was pretty obvious that there was some tension going on here but it sure as hell wasn't between us-"

"-I can't even look at you." Rayna joked, swearing under her breath before she walked towards the band.

"What? I'm serious…I mean, you and Deacon...it was getting-"

"-I'm serious too…We've got a show to prepare for."

**- NASHVILLE -**

The clinking of glasses, chatter and music sat as a steady hum throughout the VIP room. The first of two sold out shows had blown the Staples Center out of the water, leaving the arena screaming for more after the finale. After the show, Rayna had been introduced to so many different people that she'd lost count and given up on trying to remember names. Instead she had politely shaken hand after hand, said her fair share of thank yous, and worn her smile out to a point that she couldn't figure out if she was smiling or not anymore. She would have been lying if she'd said that she'd been paying much attention to these short 'meet and greets', her thoughts had been on anything but this. Every moment, every weary emotion and thing that pulled at the unspoken feelings she shared with Deacon had accumulated today, bubbling over the brim to a place where she wasn't sure how to handle it. She longed to be behind closed doors were she could put away the confidence and poise she clothed herself in, behind closed doors where she could let everything get a little messy. All she had to do was hold onto this shiny veneer of confidence a little while longer and then she'd be free to escape to the privacy of her room. Coming full circle around the room Rayna smiled at Bucky as she fixed her eyes on the nearest exit, explaining that she was calling it a night.

"Night everybody! Bye y'all." She exclaimed, waving as she began to head towards the door.

"Hey."

Rayna stopped mid step, swearing under her breath as she flipped hair out of her face, smiling as she turned around to face the person who'd spoken. "Hi."

"Good show." Deacon offered, stepping towards her.

"Thanks."

"But…I don't think Liam's quite got that riff down at the beginnin' of Already Gone."

"Didn't realise you paid my set so much attention."

"I just thought you'd want to know…considerin' you like that riff so much and all…You'd think he'd know that." Deacon provoked, smiling to cover the venom in his words.

"I'll be sure to give him that little piece of constructive criticism." She replied humorlessly, regretting stopping to talk. The last thing she wanted was this turning into an argument.

"Is that all you're givin' him?" He mumbled, looking over in Stacey's direction to avoid having Rayna hear what he'd said.

Rayna made a face, tilting her head to get his attention. "What exactly are we talkin' about now?"

"Never mind."

"Well, I ran into Stacey just before." Rayna nodded to the bar, changing the conversation. Deacon froze, bracing himself for whatever sarcastic comment she had been holding onto. There was no way Rayna was going to let him get away with making haughty remarks and not drop a few of her own, especially after being thrown in the deep end today when she'd be forced to talk with Stacey.

"Y'all seem to be doin' a lot of that…runnin' into one another."

"You didn't tell me she was a vet." Rayna hummed, ignoring his attempt to change the conversation.

"Didn't think it was really relevant to any particular conversation."

"A vet who also seems to know very little about the business you're in…she seems to know nothin' about countr-"

"Ray-"

"-That's not even the best part of the conversation." She interrupted, eyes wide as she pursed her lips. Deacon gave her an unbelieving look. "She asked me if we dated."

"No she didn't." Deacon countered, shaking his head.

"Yeah she did." Rayna replied slowly, gauging when to speak next by his facial expression. "Tell me that she does know about how you and I dated?"

Deacon looked at her blankly, wiping his forehead as he waited for her to talk.

"What about Juliette?" Rayna asked again, still conjuring the same response from Deacon. "Please…you and I both know what writin' music can lead to…and you sure as hell have _written music_ with Juliette."

"Really Rayna?"

"Really Deacon?"

"What'd you tell Stacey?"

"Um, the truth?" Rayna replied, furrowing her brow as she shifted from one foot to another. "What else was I supposed to d-?"

"-What did you say?" Deacon asked, trying to decipher if Rayna had pressed Stacey's buttons or not.

"That we did…That we dated a long time ago…and there's nothin' goin' on here between us…Not anymore." Rayna said systematically, trying to detach any emotion from the words. Deacon stared at her, his face conflicted and eyes confused. He made her nervous and she began to doubt whether he agreed with what she'd said to Stacey.

Keeping her eyes on his she spoke. "That is the truth Deacon…isn't it?"

"Right." He finally whispered, forcing the word out of his mouth. He looked at Rayna and her head spun, her breaths become shallow as she tried to regain her steadier self.

"Ok then…Well as much fun as this has been…I've…um…" She mumbled, laxly pointing in the direction of the door. "Have a good night."

"You too." He replied, muttering expletives as he watched her walk out the door.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Sitting down at the bar, Deacon smiled at Stacey who was taking a sip from her glass. "Hey! You likin' the country music yet?...I told you that this tour would open up your eyes to a new world…Rayn-"

"-You know, I don't think country music's really my thing." Stacey interrupted, smiling awkwardly at Deacon. "I mean I don't get it…the crazy and the drama surroundin' it all."

Deacon paused, noticing the edginess to her voice. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah…but I'm kinda surprised that you'd invite me out here when you've clearly had history with both the headliners." Stacey replied honestly, tilting her head as she watched Deacon's face change. "I heard some guy with like a headset talking about it to someone else backstage...I didn't know it was true until I asked Rayna-"

"-Stacey, I-"

"-I mean, are you trying to scare me away?"

"No…hell no." He replied earnestly, shifting on the barstool as he spoke. "I mean, we've been havin' a lot of fun…I didn't want to end it all-"

"-Fun? Is that what we're doing?" She asked, shaking her head.

"Not what I meant."

"The last thing I expected when I came out here with you was to feel comfortable, or fit in…but I did expect you to be honest with me about the most important relationships in your life." Stacey continued, brushing her fringe out of her eyes. "And not have to hear about it backstage or from the woman I met today…who by the way turns out to be one someone everyone's calling the 'Queen of Country'…someone you've sung love songs with for the last decade-"

"-Ok, Stacey-"

"-Do you realise how stupid I feel now about some of the things I said back at the arena, at her sound check? You let me say-"

"-Stacey, you're ri-"

"-I feel ridiculous…Deacon it's so weird-"

"-Stacey. You're right." He interrupted, stopping her rambling as she scratched her head. "I should have explained it all…I didn't mean for you to be in that position today…and I should have told you that I had a history with Rayna…Yeah, it's long and complicated…_but_ it is history."

"Is it?" She asked, cocking her head. "Because it doesn't really seem like that."

"Well I dunno what else to tell you it is." He replied, leaning against the bar as he smiled at her. "...it is history."

Smiling weakly, Stacey looked up at him. "Ok, if you say so."

Deacon stood up, holding his hand out to her, leading her out of the crowded room to head upstairs. As they walked, Rayna's words haunted him. _We dated a long time ago and there's nothin' goin' on here between us…not anymore…that's the truth Deacon isn't it? _His knees were weak and his heart was numb, buckling under the pressure of the thoughts of Rayna that invaded his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling what he'd told Rayna was really not the truth at all.


	12. Chapter 12

**NB: FIRST AND FOREMOST...THANK YOU EVERY SINGLE DEAR READER WHO IS STILL READING AND REVIEWING BRAVE FACE. I TRULY APPRECIATE IT AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH...IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE LONGER TO UPLOAD THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE I'M ABOUT 4 CHAPTERS AHEAD IN WRITING AND I'VE BEEN TOO FOCUSED ON WRITING TO THINK ABOUT UPDATING...These next few chapters are a little bit longer and I can tell you that there is a lot in store down the road...There is a song in this chapter sung by Rayna..I own nothing, all copyright for the song goes 'The Verses' and the song is called 'Want Everything'...have a listen to it, it's a brilliant song and I think it is really appropriate. PLEASE BY ALL MEANS KEEP YOU'RE LIKES/HATES/COMMENTS/THOUGHTS AND WHATEVER ELSE COMING...I ALWAYS LOVE HEARING WHAT YOU THINK...Ok, I've waffled on enough and you've probably stopped reading...Enjoy chapter twelve.**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

Sitting alone on the floor of the lounge-room in the penthouse, Rayna looked from the bottles of Bourbon she'd pulled from the mini bar to her cell phone. She was grateful to be heading towards feeling comfortably numb, the burning liquid beginning to take over her body as it drowned the burdens weighing heavy on her insides. Initially Rayna had longed to be alone but now that she was here she wasn't so sure. She hadn't anticipated that sitting in silence would be so torturous. Every thought she seemed to capture was one that held something about Deacon. Each memory only agitated the splinters that were already messing with her heart, making her feel worse than she did before. Rayna loathed herself and she hated him because she felt this way. She swore. Nothing between them was ever back or white, they seemed determined to always keep things grey.

It was moments like this, where she put her right mind away that each potential thought and action could be dangerous. Looking at her phone again, Rayna reluctantly picked it up, giggling as she began to scroll through her contact list. Her fingers slowed as she moved over Deacon's number before quickly arriving at the one she wanted. Dialling it, she kicked her shoes off, viciously shovelling her free hand through her hair as she waited for the other person to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Tandy!" Rayna said happily, her fingers drumming on top of the Bourbon bottle.

"Rayna?"

"Who else would it be?"

"You sound…hang on, are you-" Tandy began, her pitch rising.

"-Drunk?...Hmmm…I haven't had that much to drink…I think I'm tipsy enough to find everythin' funny but still smart enough to dial your number and not someone else's." Rayna giggled. "If you know what I mean."

"Ok then…" Tandy chirped, pausing before she spoke. "What are you doin'?"

"Ah, just sittin' on the floor. Alone."

"Is everything alright?"

"I met her today…twice, actually three times if you count at the ba-"

"-Who?"

"And she's really nice…_really_ nice-"

"-Who did you meet?"

"Stacey." Rayna replied slowly, feeling her head spin as she stopped to take a breath.

"Oh." Tandy said lowly, acknowledging that Rayna was talking about Deacon's girlfriend. She exhaled.

"I'm not whingin' but why on earth would he do that? Bring his girlfriend on the road?..." Rayna exclaimed, falling backwards to lie down on the floor. "Doesn't he know that it's really unprofessional and people don't appreci-"

"-Is this really about Deacon bein' unprofessional…because if I know anything, the last thing he is is unprofessional."

"Who's side are you on?"  
"I'm supposed to be pickin' a side? I didn't know this was one of those conversations." Tandy asked.

"You know how I told you I didn't care?" Rayna mumbled, holding a hand to her forehead as she waited for her sister to acknowledge the question. "Well…I care…and I hate that I do, but I can't help it."

"Sweetie."

"That's a big problem." Rayna breathed, eyes wide.

"You know what the problem is…Y'all never talk about anythin' when it comes to this and what ever it is you seem to love puttin' each other through." Tandy offered, straining to listen as Rayna sat in silence for a moment.

"What we put each other through?" Rayna scoffed. "It's not that easy Tandy."

"Yes it is."

"No. It's not."

"If you don't talk about it…_with him_…you'll both just sit wallowin' and that'll get you nowhere-"

"Um, he's hardly wallowin'…I can tell you that." Rayna countered, shuddering, as she thought about Deacon and Stacey in a hotel room together.

"Sweetie you don't know that."

"It's not that easy…It isn't just like flippin' a switch-"

"-Rayna." Tandy said firmly, silencing the rant on the other end of the line. "You've had twelve years of 'not that easy'…that's plenty of time to have waited and figured out what to say to each other…I mean nothing's actually happened between yo-"

"-Actually, he kissed me. In an elevator." Rayna slipped, smacking her mouth as she cursed the effects of the alcohol.

"He what?! An elevator!" Tandy shrieked. "When? Why are you only tellin' me this now? I need details."

"I have no idea why I'm tellin' you at all." Rayna replied, pulling hair across her face, still lying on the floor.

"That's-"

"-Confusing? Frustrating? Complicated? So damn Typical?..._Not easy_." Rayna said smartly, smirking as her sister swore at her.

"Right now I have no idea what to do with that." Tandy muttered.

"And I don't even know what we're talkin' about." Rayna chuckled, rolling on the floor.

"So you're probably not even listenin' to me."

"I am. I am I swear."

"Just take my advice…the same advice I gave you in New York…Talk to him."

Rayna shook her head, already forgetting her sister's wisdom. "I think you're forgettin' he has a girlfriend…A nice one."

"Rayna."

"He's movin' on, maybe I should forge-"

"-Maybe just wait till you're not so drunk." Tandy added quickly, overlooking what Rayna was saying. "To talk."

"I can't do this." Rayna admitted, sitting up abruptly, muttering expletives as her head spun. Maybe she had had a little too much.

"Ok fine." Tandy replied. "Do you know how damn stubborn you are?"

"Yeah, I've been told that." Rayna grimaced; thinking back to the conversation she and Deacon had had at the hospital.

"Are you gonna be alright?"

"I'll be fine." Rayna assured, looking around for the key card to her room. Spotting it on the stand next to the TV, she stood and walked over to it.

"Are you sure?" Tandy asked.

"I'll be fine." She nodded, picking up the key card.

"Ok…Well if you need me again _call_…And _please _don't go drunk diallin' anyone…You'll hate yourself for it in the mornin'."

"Wasn't plannin' on it." Rayna laughed, shaking her head as she spoke "I told you I'm just a little tipsy...that's all."

"Alright, well."

"Bye." Rayna drawled, listening to Tandy say goodbye before she hung up. Taking a quick look around the room, Rayna felt a little lightheaded. Before she could think too much about it she was closing the front door behind her.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Rayna smiled up at Liam who sat comfortably on a sofa in his lounge room while she sat on the floor. Putting down her drink, she pulled the pencil from behind her ear, making a note on one of a dozen sheets of paper she had sprawled out around her and the guitar that sat in front of her. After hanging up with Tandy, Rayna had headed down to Liam's hotel room, determined to hit the kill switch on her wallowing. She didn't really know why she'd chosen to come here; Liam was just as surprised as she was when he'd opened his door. Maybe she'd come because it was easier drowning her frustrations if she had someone to help her forget what they were. He hadn't said too much upon her arrival. They had simply raided the mini bar and pulled out instruments, pushing one another into writing. For the last hour they had sat listening to each other's preferred strengths; his construction of a likeable melody that she could follow and her shaping of lyrics that would fit.

"I think I have it." Rayna smiled.

"It's about time." He mocked, looking over his guitar at her.

"Shush it….What about this?" Rayna asked, cocking her head as she envisioned the melody attached to the words on the paper.

Starting an angry strum, playing a pattern of three chords Rayna created a steady pace before she began singing. "An unprecedented pain got me sendin' this message to you. Got my claws out now in your name I don't know what else that I can do."

Catching her breath, Rayna pulled every bitter feeling within and pushed it into the next line. "Oh, and I would write a thousand songs if I thought it would help. Oh, and I won't spend another night underneath your spell."

Straightening in his chair, Liam watched her quietly as he held his guitar, content not to join her just yet. Her voice's strength hid the raw and honest undertones that the melody evoked, fully capturing his attention as she moved into the chorus.

"How long, how long should I keep holdin' on? I'm waiting for that ship to come in, change in the wind to blow through. I hold out my hand, nothin' more I can do." She sung, closing her eyes as she braced herself for the lyrics that were fast approaching. "Guess I just want everythin', everythin' to hold you."

Rayna's eyes shot open when she heard another guitar suddenly accompanying her. It was Liam. She smiled, swaying as he played a spontaneous riff to complement her chords. "Say you got a new girlfriend restin' there beside you in your bed."

Liam's sat wide-eyed, hearing the addition of lyrics for the new verse for the first time. Rayna smirked, embracing his openmouthed reaction as she spun edginess into the next lyric. "Her head lays where mine used to lay, nestled in the hollow of your chest. But I never meant to end up so competitive." She sung, cocking her head as she looked up at the roof before she continued. "Does she know you told me it'd be my place as for long as we lived?"

Singing the chorus again, Rayna put her guitar down and let Liam take over. He fell into a spur-of-the-moment instrumental as she stood up, holding her drink, spinning around laughing before stumbling over to sit next to him to sing the bridge. "My heart rang out, like a shot in the night. And it makes that sound for the rest of my life."

Untidily, Liam continued to play, trying to follow Rayna's directions as she teased and tried to explain where he was supposed to go with the song. Finally in fits of laughter, they gave up. Liam strummed a final chord and Rayna sung spontaneously. "How long, how long should I keep holding on?"

They both laughed, relaxing back into the sofa.

"Seriously? How long?" She giggled, running a hand through her hair. "Like, really."

"If asking questions like that." Liam smiled, resting his guitar on his lap. "Helps you write music like you just did…Do us a favor and keep asking those questions."

"Hmm?"

"I can definitely see that song on the new record." He replied, looking over at her. "It wasn't half bad…It'll be better when we add a bunch of other instruments to the track, you know, filling it out a little more coz it's too bare…I'm definitely feeling an edgy, roc-"

"-You're not serious?"  
"Yeah I am…Rayna we have a record to finish." Liam nodded, tapping the guitar as he spoke. "You say you've been struggling to find yourself in your music…That there, that song…That's all you…Rayna Jaymes."

Rayna snorted, looking up at the ceiling. "I didn't write it coz we're like 6 songs short of a full record…I wrote it because that's how I'm feelin'."

"So take what you're feeling and put it into your songs."

"But what if I don't want to…_feel_?" She confessed, tapping the arm of the lounge as she looked over at him. "What if the last thing I wanna do right now is feel."

"Well what then?" Liam asked, putting his guitar down next to him as he watched Rayna put her glass on the coffee table in front of them.

The air changed as her eyes searched his, asking things he hadn't expected. He made no attempt to look away as he tried to figure out if they were on the same page. He knew that they had both been drinking, their better selves put to bed a long time ago, so he couldn't be entirely sure. Rayna smiled, running a hand through her hair before she twirled it round into a messy twist. Changing his position, Liam shifted on the lounge to face her, returning the smile. Slowly, he edged towards her, hesitating as she looked from his eyes to his lips. Before he could change his mind she moved, her lips colliding with his, taking them both by surprise as they were pulled into the middle of the moment. He kissed her again, the thrill in the spontaneity bubbling over them as both their hands began to wander. Rayna ran her hands through his hair, pulling him on top of her as they kissed; taking each one deeper than the last. His fingers moved to the bottom buttons of her shirt and Rayna froze, pulling away as she gently put her hands to his chest to break the mood. Startled, Liam looked at her face but her eyes avoided his. He could feel her tremble underneath him and he moved abruptly, sliding off her lap, toppling onto the lounge beside her as he ran his hands over his face. Rayna pressed the back of her hand to her mouth, her eyes focused on the empty glass on the table.

"I think I need a minute." She whispered, gracelessly standing before she darted in the direction of his bathroom. Slamming the door, Rayna steadied herself by gripping the sink. Her head was swimming, clarity refusing to give itself to her. What on earth had she done that for? Had she just kissed Liam? Why had she done that? She knew that was the last thing she wanted. Feeling a stinging burn the back of her eyes, Rayna looked at herself in the mirror and swore as she watched the tears begin to fall.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Sitting on the toilet, Rayna stared off into the distance, hands over her mouth as she willed herself to think about what had just happened. Knocking on the door interrupted her thoughts and in a panic she threw her hand against the door, attempting to keep whoever stood on the other side out.

"You still alive in there?" Liam asked.

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?-"

"-Uhuh, I'm fine."

"You don't sound like you're fine." He replied, turning the handle to open the door.

Using the weight of her foot, Rayna slammed into the door, shutting it again. "No, I'm _fine_…as long as you stay on that side of the door."

"Come on, let me in."

"No, I don't want to let you in….Liam, it's really not pretty in here."

"You don't think I've never been messed up on somebody's bathroom floor?" Liam tried, leaning against the wall next to the door.

Exhaling, Rayna slowly pulled her foot away from the door, reluctantly opening it to let him in. He looked at her and smiled. "I don't cry pretty."

Liam shook his head, walking past her to sit in front of the bathtub. He pat the floor next to him. "Come on…Maybe we should talk about why we're not wanting to feel…when I say _we're_ I mean you."

"I-" She began replying, shaking her head in disagreement.

"-I think you need to." He smiled, looking at her knowingly as he waited for her to sit next to him. Rayna smiled weakly, laughing at herself as she stole a look at the smudged mascara running down her face in the mirror before she sat down.

"What do you wanna know?" She said dryly.

"What'd you wanna tell me?" He countered, putting the glass next to him as he pulled his knees up and looked at her.

"My life kind of blew up after Chicago."

"That's certainly a way of puttin' it."

"I was tryin' so hard to make sure everyone else was ok…Protectin' them, you know…But it was like a vortex and I got sucked into the middle and then it spat me out and…I still don't even think I've found the ground yet." She spoke softly, her voice wavering as she looked at him. "But I don't need to hit the ground to know I've screwed everything up because I waited…I _majorly _screwed it up."

He nodded, hesitating as he spoke. "So…Deacon then…" Her head shot up in his direction and he laughed. "Please, how many times do I tell that you have this face-"

"-_Supposed face_…when I talk about him, yeah I know." She muttered, hiding a smile as she talked and gestured between them. "I hate myself right now. I hate yo-"

"-Hey _hey_, do not attack me with those words of yours…You kissed me first."

"Trust me, I know that." She mumbled, putting her hands to her head. "Last thing I wanted to do was this…I shouldn't have done it."

They both sat in silence, terribly aware that they sat amongst Rayna's unspoken feelings and tensions that hung in the air. Rayna wanted to dance around the fact that she'd kissed Liam because she hated the pain that pulled at her heart. Dealing with her feelings for Deacon and the reality of seeing him moving forward right in front of her had hurt more than she'd anticipated. She wasn't proud that she'd kissed Liam out of desperation, but she had, even when she knew deep down it wouldn't help fix anything. Rayna swore under her breath. Out of all the things she could have done, of course she'd gone kissed Liam. Maybe she should have ignored Tandy and tried drunk dialing instead.

"Don't worry about it." He offered, looking over at her. "Some times we do stupid things."

Rayna laughed uneasily, nodding as she leant against her knees. "Really stupid things."

"Why don't you just tell him?"

"Honestly?" She asked.

"Honestly."

"It's complicated…I don't know what I was thinkin' by puttin' so much distance between us, but I did…and he met Stacey. I guess I don't wanna be the one comin' in between him and Stacey…I don't want to mess things up for him…especially if he's happy…How is that fair on anyone?" She answered, her voice cracking as she listened to her own words echo around the walls of the bathroom.

"How do you know he's happy?"

"He told me…kind of." She replied, thinking back to the after party where he'd said that there was nothing between them anymore. Rayna ignored the fact that there had been a delay in his delivery of those words; assuming that it was just her imagination talking.

"Kind of? What does that even mean?" Liam queried, scrunching his face up before he looked at her blankly. "Do you believe him?"

"I dunno."

"You know what you need?" Liam asked, laughing as Rayna shot him a look. "Not _that_…please…You and I are definitely sober enough to think before doing anything like that…And besides, I think if I kissed you again, you might just backhand me."

"Maybe."

"Come away with me." He exclaimed.

"How am I not supposed to think that you don't mean _that_…when you ask me to come away with you?" She exclaimed, cocking her head.

"Geez, all you country music folk seem to associate _going away_ with _getting it on_…What the hell is wrong with you?"

Rayna laughed into her hands, swaying as Liam pushed her.

"We have a whole seven days off, starting next week." Liam continued.

"Hmmm, all of which I'll be spending with my daughters." Rayna replied flatly, raising an eyebrow.

"Rayna, I'm asking you to come away with me so that we can work on the record." Liam said bluntly, humored by her distrust. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"Oh."

"You need to get away…away from this and the _situation."_ He explained, drawing attention to the last word, insinuating that he meant Deacon."Do some writing…recording…get out those feelings in your music…It could definitely be something magical."

"What kind of magical?" She asked uncertainly.

"Purely musical…and maybe therauptic…You need this, I need this…especially if we wanna get this record finished."

"I-"

"-You can't honestly tell me you didn't like writin' that song out there?" He asked, watching a smile creep onto her face. "Ok?...So that was a great song, but we need at least another 6 tracks. This is a good time to do this."

"Three days." She replied finally, holding up three fingers. "The other four I plan on spendin' with my girls."

"Ok, done." He replied, holding his hands up in agreement.

"But only on one condition." She added quickly, holding his stare. "I do not care what you say about us 'Country Folk'…But you and I…we're sleepin' in separate beds…hell we're sleepin' in different rooms."

Liam laughed, shrugging as he spoke. "I can't promise that."

Rayna sat openmouthed as she slapped his arm, swearing at him before she replied. "I can."

After messing around with each other a while longer, Rayna finally gathered the determination to get herself off the bathroom floor to call it a night. Liam had led her to the door, laughing when she giggled at her own jokes. They had quickly forgotten about the escapades on the sofa and the bathroom floor confessions, overlooking it as they stood at the front door engaging in back and forth banter. They stayed this way for a spell, mostly because she was reluctant to make her way back up to the penthouse. It was almost as if what had happened could all go unnoticed and all they'd be taking from this when she walked away was a new song. However, when Rayna finally walked away and hit the elevator button at the end of the corridor she didn't realize that she wasn't alone. Deacon stood unmoved, a cold, hard expression washing over his face as he remained frozen on his front door step.


	13. Chapter 13

**NB: THANK YOU everyone for your LOVES/HATES/THOUGHTS/COMMENTS and everything in between...I truly appreciate that you take the time to read and review...The Bluebird scenes were came from an idea I knew I wanted to have in this story before I'd even begun writing...it's a little different but the more I thought about it, the more I thought it fit the story and the characters...if you don't agree...WELL..I've got nothing...SO..Rayna sings a song in this chapter and in order to fully grasp the feel of it you need to listen to the 'Sara Bareilles - Single Ladies Beyonce Cover' (I own nothing, all copyright goes to Beyonce)...****PLEASE KEEP YOUR LOVES/HATES/COMMENTS/THOUGHTS AND WHATEVER ELSE COMING...I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS CHAPTER if you'd care to spare time to let me know of course..anyway, enjoy chapter thirteen...**

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**CHAPTER THIRTEEN **

**Eight Days Later**

"Oh my gosh Mom!" Maddie squealed, laughing as Bucky, Rayna and Daphne covered their ears. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you sweetheart."

"I agree. Congratulations Ray…you definitely deserve it." Bucky added, smiling at Rayna when she thanked him.

"Mom, you got nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year…Like, a CMA?! It's all over the internet."

"Ok." Rayna sung, eyes wide at her eldest daughter's excitement. "Someone's a little on the hyper side."

Daphne leant against the kitchen bench, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she grinned. "One day that will be me."

"As if! I'm _pretty_ sure it'll be me, just saying." Maddie shrieked.

"Y'all _both_ can be winning CMAs….Just as soon as you graduate…from college." Rayna interrupted, watching them make faces at her as they walked out.

"Did you hear that Juliette also-" Bucky started.

"-Got nominated in the same category? Mmhmm…That's just the best news I've heard all day." She replied sarcastically as she walked around to the other side of the counter to turn the kettle on.

"Well in the spirit of celebrating…Edgehill wants to host a party in honour of you and Juliette, here in Nashville." Bucky said reluctantly, watching Rayna's face change. "You know, to announce the nominations of two of its biggest artists."

"Really?" Rayna replied, raising an eyebrow. "That's awful nice of them."

"Mmm...This is your official invite."

"When is it?"

"Tomorrow night." Bucky confirmed, checking his cell phone to be sure.

"Tomorrow?...I guess that means we're spendin' both of the extra rehearsal days here in Nashville then." Rayna noted, tugging at her hair.

"Yep." Bucky agreed. "We're not leaving today…but we do fly out early morning, day after next."

"You mean I won't be able to get crazy and drink and party into the night at my own announcement party?" Rayna mocked, standing open mouthed as a smirk fell across Bucky's face.

"When do you ever go out and party into the early hours of the morning?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." She grinned, turning around to open a cupboard.

"No." Bucky laughed, pausing before he spoke. "But I would like to hear about this little _writing_ trip you went on with Liam these last three days."

Rayna stopped, stifling a giggle as she pulled two mugs out of the cupboard. "Bucky, the thought of you suggesting that we were doin' more than just writing shocks me. There's really not too much to talk about. We were just writin'…there was nothin' excitin' about it."

"Just writing?"

"Believe it or not babe, but I can go away on a writin' trip and manage to keep things professional."

"Right." Bucky replied, looking at her sceptically.

"I dunno what else to tell you." Rayna shrugged, filling both mugs with coffee. "But we did write maybe five, six songs. I only really like three of them…but yeah…You take sugar right?"

She hadn't been lying when she talked to Bucky about the trip. It had had been just that, professional. Overall, they had worked comfortably, only stopping for coffee hits or Liam's poor choices of food. Melody after melody, lyric after lyric, conversation after conversation and all that was in between had helped them create some great songs. However, the trip hadn't been all serious, they had shared many a drink and a laugh, especially when Liam spun one of his more than inappropriate jokes or one-liners. Rayna wouldn't have admitted it out loud, but she had been grateful to get away from herself for a little while, grateful to find some space of her own and just be. When Liam had dropped her home yesterday, she felt like she could breathe again and she was loving the freedom that came with that feeling.

"If you say so." Bucky smiled, taking the mug off Rayna as he thanked her. "Hey, what are you doin' tonight? Might be a good chance to talk about a few schedule details over dinner?-"

"-I can't. Now that we're stayin' in town I was gonna call Watty back and let him know I can go to the Bluebird after all."

"The Bluebird?"

"Yeah." Rayna nodded, taking a sip of coffee. "We've been tryin' to catch each other for a while. He suggested the Bluebird so that's where we'll go I guess….nothin' too serious…a catch up between music…and who knows, I may just hear someone singin' tonight that I'll want to sign to my label."

"Just you two?" Bucky questioned.

"Um, I dunno I guess so…although I might see if Liam wants to come."

"Sound's like it'll be a good night."

"Yeah, hey did you wanna come?"

"Ah, no…My life revolves around organising yours for you." He declined, smirking as he put his mug down. "I hardly have time to go out and be social."

"And I thank God for you everyday." Rayna smiled, holding her mug close to her face.

"Speaking of which, aren't the girls leaving with Teddy this afternoon?" Bucky asked.

Checking the clock Rayna swore, putting the mug down as she walked over to the bottom of the stairs. "Daphne! Maddie! Y'all have packed right?"

**- NASHVILLE -**

"I was actually gonna head to the Bluebird pretty soon." Deacon spoke slowly. "…I got a call from Watty askin' if I'd be interested in meetin' him tonight."

"Oh." Stacey exhaled, unwrapping her arms from around him as she nodded. "Are you just meeting with Watty?"

Deacon scratched his head and turned around to walk into the kitchen as he thought about the phone call he'd gotten from Watty. Initially, Deacon had been reluctant to accept his invite but Watty had offhandedly dropped Rayna's name in the conversation, catching his attention immediately as he mentioned she would be there too. Without thinking any further, he had agreed to go.

"Ah, I'm not sure exactly." Deacon fumbled, opening the fridge. "I think Watty mentioned somethin' about Rayna, Juliette might come…she was with me when I got the call from Watty so I think-"

"-Rayna?" Stacey said flatly.

"Yeah, that's what I said."

"Do you have to go out tonight?…I mean, what if I wanted to spend the night with you?" Stacey asked, agitated by the mention of Rayna's name.

"It's just the Bluebird."

"Yeah, I know…it's just..." Stacey mumbled, walking into the kitchen.

"If it bothers you so much…why don't you come with me?" Deacon suggested.

"It doesn't bother me." She replied reluctantly, watching him carefully. "I just don't know how I feel about you goin' out with-"

"-Rayna?" Deacon offered, finishing her sentence for her.

"Yeah, Rayna."

"I thought we sorted this out."

"We have…but I can't help feeling-" She started, stopping herself from finishing the sentence.

"Ok look, if you really don't want me to go…I can-" Deacon hesitated, closing the fridge as he looked at her.

"-No, you're right. I'm being stupid…You should go." Stacey replied, quickly kissing him on the lips. "Just don't stay out too late…I do want to have you to myself for at least a little while tonight."

**- NASHVILLE -**

The Bluebird was humming with the clinking of glasses and rowdy chatter. Waitresses circled the room, collecting empty glasses and taking orders as music played softly in the background.

"Hey Ray, I'm so glad you made it!" Watty greeted, pulling her into a hug as they exchanged hellos and how are yous. Watty looked over her shoulder and smiled. "And you must be Liam?"

"Oh yeah, I hope you don't mind…I wanted y'all to meet and I thought this'd be a good time." Rayna interjected; pulling Liam in front her to talk to Watty. Rayna smiled, taking her scarf off as she took everything in, her eyes falling over every table. It was then that she suddenly caught sight of the person who sat behind Watty.

"Deacon?" Rayna called, eyes wide as she spoke. Rayna shuffled past Watty and chuckled, Juliette was sitting next to Deacon. "This is a surprise…Watty didn't tell me y'all were comin'-"

"-Oh, it was last minute…I couldn't resist gettin' us all back together for a night out." Watty interrupted, quickly turning around to jump into their conversation.

"Alright then." Rayna exclaimed, awkwardly looking at Deacon and Juliette before Watty ushered her into a seat next to Deacon. Liam sat on her other side with Juliette opposite him, while Watty sat between them.

"I see you brought company." Deacon greeted Rayna, smiling through his teeth as he glared at Liam.

"I see you didn't." Rayna replied, leaning on the table as she spoke.

"What does that make Juliette?"

"Not Stacey." She answered, laughing as he shook his head at her quick wit. "Where is she?"

"Wasn't really up for comin' out tonight." Deacon replied, looking at Juliette as Rayna nodded.

Liam and Watty had fallen into talking specifics about the plans for Rayna's new record, separating themselves from the others. Amongst the chatter throughout the Bluebird, Rayna leant over Deacon to talk to Juliette, making him uneasy as her arms fell across him. Clumsily, he pushed his seat back to separate himself from her, staring awkwardly at the ceiling. Rayna and Juliette both paused to look at him before returning to their conversation.

"I just wanted to personally say congratulations." Rayna smiled, forcing sincerity into her tone.

"Thankyou. Congratulations to you too." Juliette grimaced. "You've won a lot of CMAs...maybe this year things'll change."

Rayna made a face, laughing off her snooty remark.

"Hey." Liam called, clicking as he leant over to Rayna. "What's that song called?...the one we were arguing about at 2am when you were lying on the floor eating peanut butter."

"I have no idea what you're talkin' about." Rayna laughed.

"Yes you do."

"No I don't...Writin' at that time was such a blur…I can't remember the song we were arguin' about at 1am let alone the one at 2."

"Must have been some song if y'all can't remember it." Deacon commented, bitterness in his voice. Juliette pursed her lips and tugged at her loose ponytail as she looked on. Rayna and Liam paused, watching Deacon shrug. "Just sayin'."

Liam looked at Deacon blankly, clearly confused as to what he'd done to deserve the cold shoulder so soon. Rayna quickly downed her drink and smiled.

"Well, if the writin' trip was successful…that's the main thing." Watty settled, looking around the room. "Who want's another drink?"

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Hey Watty, who were those two kids you did the demo for again?" Rayna asked curiously, overlooking the person singing on the stage as she spoke. "The ones you played me a while back?"

"Scarlett and Gunnar?" Watty replied, nodding at Deacon as his eyes shot up when he heard Scarlett's name.

"Scarlett as in your niece Scarlett?!" Rayna exclaimed, slapping Deacon's arm as she spoke. "Deacon, she's incredible."

"Mmmhmm…she really is."

"You thinkin' you might want to sign them to your label?" Watty asked.

"Yeah, maybe." Rayna replied, turning to look at Deacon. "She works here right? Is that her over there?"

He smiled, nodded and looked over Watty's shoulder to call the young, blonde songstress over to the table.

"Scarlett, come over here a second." Deacon called.

"Oh…" Scarlett squeaked, appearing awkwardly as she stood next to Deacon. "How y'all doin'? Can I take anyone's order?"

"Hey!" Rayna greeted, beaming as she spoke. "I actually just wanted to tell you that I've heard the tracks you laid with Watty…You are incredible…I'd love to hear more."

"I…um." Scarlett stuttered, star struck and lost for words.

"You and Gunnar singin' tonight?" Deacon coaxed.

"Gunnar's not here…I was actually gonna go meet up with him after my shift is over." Scarlett fumbled, blushing as she tried to stay focused.

"Well I'd love to talk with y'all about your music sometime." Rayna offered, pulling her cell phone out.

"I can call him if you want?" Scarlett suggested.

"No, don't worry…I don't wanna mess around with your plans." Rayna replied. "But how about tomorrow night? What are y'all doin'?"

"I don't really know."

"Why don't you come on out to a party Edgehill is throwin'? Maybe we can have a chat there?"

"You're serious?" Scarlett squeaked, gripping the top of Deacon's seat.

"Mmhmm…that's only if you want to." Rayna smiled. "I'll get Bucky to give you a call and get your names on the guest list."

"Thankyou Miss Jaymes." Scarlett beamed. "Thankyou."

"I'll see you tomorrow night." Rayna nodded, taking her number off Deacon as she hurried away.

"Those kids are somethin'." Watty smiled, looking over at Deacon and Rayna. "Only time I've seen chemistry like those kids have has been between you two."

"Really?" Liam and Juliette asked in unison, smiling teasingly at the pair.

Watty chuckled. "Really."

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Do we have any taker's for the stage? We have a little time left." A woman asked, interrupting the busy conversation at their table.

"Feel like singin' with me?" Juliette joked, looking at Deacon as he laughed, shaking his head. She knew that if he wanted to sing with anyone, she was not the woman at the table that he wanted to sing with.

"You've got a song you wanna sing." Liam provoked, nudging Rayna as he spoke. "You had lot's of practise these last few days…at the piano the other night, the car ride here…"

"Ok look." Rayna exclaimed, holding up a hand. "One, the girls set my radio to play that song every time it starts up…and two…There is _no way_ I'm singin' that in public, are you crazy?"

"You know all the words," Liam teased. "You didn't sound half bad either."

Rayna shot him a look, shaking her head viciously.

Leaning on the table as he shifted to face her. He squinted his eyes as he goaded her. "It's alright, I knew you didn't have it in you."

"Not gonna work."

"Wouldn't it be fun to hang up the cowboy boots just for one night and have a little _fun?_" Liam pushed, turning to face her as their eyes challenged each other. Deacon watched on, staring coldly as Juliette rolled her eyes at him. "I thought you said you were feelin' freer these days?"

"I don't know what y'all are talkin' about but I'd like to see what ever it is you've got up your sleeve." Watty chuckled, clearly intrigued by the back and forth banter.

"You're askin' me to get up there and sing _that_?" Rayna asked flatly. "Seriously? What do I get in return?"

"You know you want to." He teased, his face inches from hers.

Both determined not to budge, they kept their eyes firmly set on each other, tension flying off them in all directions. Deacon set his jaw, fuming as he watched the pair. He hated how close they were, how they were communicating in code like he and Rayna did. The intensity of the moment burnt excitement around the table and Deacon had had enough.

"Look, if she doesn't wanna do it." He interrupted, holding a hand up. "Then she doesn't have to."

Surprised by the harsh delivery and the venom in his tone, Rayna smiled at Liam before looking around the table. Quickly she picked up her drink, gulping the whole glass down.

"Alright…Let's do this." She held up a hand, as she slowly stood. "…But you're comin' with me...If I'm about to make a fool of myself…you're goin' down too."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Liam teased. Rayna scoffed, pushing past him after Watty wished her luck.

"Now that you're both done makin' eyes at each other…" Juliette stirred, smiling as Deacon glared at her. "What song is she singin'? Is it a new one?"

"Single ladies." Liam smirked, walking after her. "Rayna Jaymes is gonna sing Single ladies."

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Hey y'all…How y'all doin'? It's a good night to be at the Bluebird isn't it?" Rayna smiled, adjusting the microphone as she spoke and listened to a sea of responses. She thanked someone when they congratulated her on her CMA nomination, pointing to Juliette to bring attention to her own nomination too.

"Tonight I was asked _so nicely."_ She continued, looking flatly at Liam as he threw his hand up in surrender. "To sing a little song that's one y'all probably wouldn't ever hear me sing…We are I quote 'Hangin' up the cowboy boots' and havin' a little fun tonight…Now, I'm sure y'all know it so if you'd be so kind as to join me I'd really appreciate it."

"What's the song?" Liam called, pulling a guitar strap over his head as the room filled with laughter.

**At the table**

"She's actually doin' it." Juliette mused, playing with her drink. "Good on her, I mean…so did not see this comin'…I guess we have Liam to thank…What the hell did they do on that writin' trip?"

Deacon glared at Juliette and looked down at his cell phone. Two messages from Stacey. Agitated, he shoved the phone into his pocket.

"Are you ok?" Scarlett asked, taking a seat next Deacon as Gunnar pulled up one beside her.

"I'm fine." Deacon replied, obviously lying. "When did y'all get here?"

"Just now." Gunnar replied. "Is that-"

"Sure is." Juliette mumbled, still watching Rayna.

"She's about to sing Single Ladies." Watty added jovially.

Scarlett and Gunnar started laughing and Gunnar pulled his cell phone out and opened the camera application.

"I cannot believe Rayna Jaymes is singin' at the Bluebird…let alone singin' Single Ladies." Scarlett mused.

"Tell me about it." Gunnar smiled, holding his phone up as he waited readily.

"Gunnar, put that thing away." Deacon demanded, shaking his head.

"Why?" Gunnar asked, looking at him curiously. Deacon shot him a warning look and Gunnar immediately put the phone away as he leant over to Scarlett. "What's Deacon's problem?"

"I dunno. He's been actin' weird all night. At least since Rayna got here anyway." Scarlett replied matter-of-factly.

**From the stage**

"Tonight y'all…I'll be singin' Single Ladies." Rayna chuckled. "But we're gonna slow it right down."

The room exploded with applause, colliding into the sultry jazz riff that the pianist to her right began to play. Taking on a steady rhythm, the song sprung to life and Rayna began to giggle as she mentally prepared herself to sing. She was certainly not Beyoncé, but that didn't mean she couldn't have fun. If she was going to hang up her cowboy boots, she was going to turn this pop song into a doo wopp sing-along. Until this moment she hadn't realised how relevant this song was to her mood, especially over this last week. You could have cut the tension between Deacon and Liam with a knife. Rayna didn't know why Deacon was acting all kinds of crazy. He had no right to, after all they weren't together. He had made that clear in Los Angeles. Her eyes fell on Deacon and she stopped briefly, he had adopted a cold hard stare, clearly irritated by her song choice. Pushing it out of her mind she smiled and turned to the microphone, calming her nerves as she hoped this performance wouldn't be the undoing of her career.

"All the single ladies, all the single ladies, all the single ladies, all the single ladies…put your hands up." She sung slow and smooth, grinning wildly as she looked around the room and put a hand to her hip. Nodding in time, she raised a hand. "Put your hands up!"

"Up in the club, we just broke up, I'm doing my own little thing. Decided to dip and now you wanna trip coz another brother noticed me." She sung, clinging to the microphone as the room became a blend of clapping and wolf whistles.

"I'm up on him, he's up on me. I don't pay him any attention. I cried my tears, for three good years." She continued, cocking an eyebrow as she impulsively looked at Deacon. "No you can't be mad at me."

"Coz if you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it. If you like it then you shoulda put on ring on it." She sung, trying not to giggle as she help up a hand and shook her head. "Don't be mad when you see that he want it. Coz if you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it."

The room was ablaze with excitement and jollity, every man and woman joining in with Rayna, everyone but Deacon. He wanted no part in this, sitting quietly as he watched on. He couldn't figure if it was because he was still raging inside about seeing Rayna leave Liam's hotel room last week, or whether it was because Rayna had been away with Liam for three days, or because she seemed to be particularly happy tonight. He knew that he shouldn't feel like this, but seeing her with someone else, seeing her with Liam made his skin crawl. He couldn't shake how wrong it felt. Tonight had twisted his emotions around and pulled the good ones out from underneath him, replacing each one with every sort of bitter and jealous feeling he could grasp. He swore under his breath, eyes darting up to focus on Rayna.

"You've had your turn and now you're gonna learn what it really feels like to miss me." She sung smugly before pointing over at Juliette and Scarlett as she swayed. "Hey y'all come on up here."

Juliette laughed and Scarlett looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "This song need's some more ladies." Both women jumped up on stage, grabbing microphones that sat off to the side, finding harmonies to sing along with Rayna as they giggled. The musical accompaniment died down and Rayna embraced a serious expression as she controlled her voice, instinctively looking at Deacon.

"Pull me in to your arms…say I'm the one you want." She sung lowly, eyes bright as she looked at Deacon, the steady drumming of the piano keys in the background. "And if you don't, you'll be alone and like a ghost I'll be gone."

Cheers fell over the room as everyone joined in on the chorus, glasses in the air and laughing as they sang. Finally the pianist played the last chord and abruptly every person in the Bluebird stood, giving Rayna a standing ovation. Along with Juliette, Liam and Scarlett, she bowed, thanking everyone before stepping off the stage. Watty embraced Rayna, praising the performance while Liam joked that they could record it as a hidden track on the new album.

"My girls might like their Momma recordin' that but there's no way in hell that's gonna happen...I swear I'm never messin' around on a piano while you're hangin' around ever again." Rayna scoffed, her eyes darting from Liam to Deacon. He stared at her long and hard, unnerving the confidence she'd just embraced. There was something in his eyes that made her do a double take, but hesitation got the better of her. Rayna smiled weakly, ignoring her nerves as she turned to Watty. "Well…I think I'm gonna call it a night."

"Oh ok." Watty replied, surprised by her sudden decision to leave.

"But I'll see you tomorrow night right?"

"Wouldn't miss it."

"Bye y'all…I'll see you tomorrow night…." She called, disregarding the pleading for her to stay as Liam appeared beside her. Turning on her heel she made her way for the door, fighting not to turn around as she felt eyes burning into her back.

Deacon stood reeling as he watch Rayna and Liam leave. How come it took seeing her like this, to see her walking away from him to realize that he wasn't as prepared to say goodbye as he'd admitted.

"You ok?" Liam asked curiously. "Seem in a bit of a hurry to get out of here…It doesn't have somethin' to do with Mr. Deacon _Jealousy_ back there does it?"

"Do you ever shut up? Seriously." She mumbled, slamming her weight against the door as she welcomed the cold air that met her skin.


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

Flying out of the restrooms, Rayna nearly tripped over when Deacon called her name. She turned around, her strawberry blonde hair flying across her face as she spun. Her smile surprised him and Deacon caught his breath, returning the smile as he walked towards her. Although she seemed to be flustered, she looked incredible tonight.

"Hey." He greeted, realising that he'd been staring.

"Hey." Rayna mimicked, grinning as she crossed her arms. "What are you doin' back here?"

"What are _you_ doin' back here? After all, this is your nomination party, you really should be out there with your people."

"Deacon Claybourne, are you bein' one of those people who likes waitin' outside of restrooms?" She smirked, ignoring his question as she referenced a conversation where their roles had been reversed over a month ago. "Were you waitin' for me?"

"Me?" He laughed, shaking his head. "I am definitely not one of those people."

"Mmmhmm." She replied, unconvinced as she cocked her head. "It's just a coincidence you were here when I walked out then."

"Yeah." He grinned.

Holding a hand to her head, Rayna closed her eyes as she exhaled. Relief sprung within as they stood in silence. She had prepared herself for a war of words when he'd called her name, especially after she had up and left the Bluebird so quickly last night. But when she'd turned around his smile had taken her by surprise, defusing her apprehension and drawing her in. He wasn't pushing for a fight and she didn't want to be pulling him into one, however there was something about his gaze that made her curious. Rayna relaxed, embracing the quiet between them.

"You havin' fun tonight?" Deacon asked, looking in the direction of the doors that led to the party. Rayna peeked at him, scrunching up her nose when she realised that he'd been talking to her.

"Not really…You know how much I hate people fussin'…I'd be fine with celebratin' with people I love, hot chocolate and some s'mores." Rayna commented, pulling at her sleeves as they moved to lean against a wall opposite the restrooms.

"I love me some s'mores."

"Who says you're invited?" She challenged. Deacon shook his head and she smiled playfully.

"You could just leave…I'm sure Juliette wouldn't mind takin' your place under that spotlight out there with another song."

"The last time I tried to leave early at somethin' like this…it didn't go down too well, remem-"

"-Before you start, I remember bein' the one who got a yellin' at from Bucky." Deacon interrupted, shaking his head as he pointed at her. "Somethin' about me supposedly puttin' ideas in your head and I did nothin' of the sort…You had your mind set on goin' back to the hotel and I sure as hell wasn't complaining-"

"-It was 14 years ago…How can you remember that?! You've clearly got it wrong because I was definitely not the one at fault." She insisted, throwing a hand up as she smiled.

"Do you really wanna go there?" Deacon challenged. "Coz I'm pretty sure I remember what happened when we got back to that hotel, you-"

"-Alright alright, you keep thinkin' I'm wrong while you go and run off to be Juliette's back up dancer or somethin'….Shouldn't you be tuning a guitar, runnin' a song or gettin' ready for her performance?" Rayna teased, changing the conversation. "She's been givin' me dirty looks all night…I wouldn't wan-"

"-I ain't no one's back up dancer." Deacon retorted, crossing his arms. "Unless y'all are singin' Single Ladies tonight…then I'll definitely whip out some of the moves Juliette's dancers have been teachin' me-"

"-Shut up." Rayna shrieked, punching his arm. "Makin' fun of me is just plain rude…Besides, you never know, maybe I'll get my Single Ladies on tonight for the whole Edgehill family…I was thinkin' Marshall would really love it if I-"

"-I was here for your sound check…you didn't sing that, you sang Stompin' Grounds."

"Liam's all for the idea."

"Of course he is." Deacon scoffed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "He's lovin' this."

"Wow." Rayna smirked, secretly loving that he was trying to hide his jealousy.

"What?"

"You really hate it don't you?" Rayna teased, poking him. "…it hit's a _nerve_."

"What are you talkin' about-?"

"-Come on now…I know you and you sure ain't thrilled when I sing this song are you?"

"Maybe there are reason's why I hate it." Deacon answered carefully. He thought back to last night when she had swayed on the stage at the Bluebird, smiling and carefree as she sung, the way she had looked at Liam and the way he had held her gaze. Deacon had hated it all.

"Maybe…" Rayna smirked. "I wouldn't have sung it if you hadn't been so against it…It was kinda fun seein' you squirm in your seat you know."

"That's low." Deacon scoffed, raising his hands to his hips. "Real low."

"I'm sorry you feel that way." She giggled, unintentionally leaning closer as she laughed.

"No you're not." He grinned, mirroring her posture as he steadied her, catching her wrist to pull her back.

"No I'm not."

Rayna fought his hold on her, reaching to push him backward but he caught both her hands, drawing her back to him. Both laughing, they began mumbling nonsense words in between petty name-calling, their hands remaining tangled in a teasing tug-of-war as they laughed about nothing in particular.

"I was wondering where the party had gotten to." Juliette called, quickly approaching them. "Should've known my band leader would be fraternisin' with the enemy …."

Startled, both Deacon and Rayna jumped apart, shoving hands in pockets and twirling hair as they tried to hide the surprise on their faces. Rayna had turned cherry red, looking at the floor as Juliette sized them up. Deacon shifted to face Juliette and smiled when Rayna chose to remain quiet.

"Really? She's hardly the enemy Juliette."

"There back here!" Juliette yelled, hands on hips as she stared at Bucky and Liam who promptly came around the corner. "Cannot believe I actually have to do your job for you."

"What are you two doing back here?" Bucky asked, ignoring Juliette's attitude.

"Yeah, what are you doing?" Liam grinned, crossing his arms as he stood behind Bucky.

"We were…" Rayna stammered, playing with her fingers as she smiled nervously. "Just…talkin'."

"I can see you've got your hands full." Bucky smirked, pulling out his cell phone as he kept his eyes glued on the pair. Juliette and Liam hid their laughing as they appreciated Bucky's less than subtle comment. "But you might consider re-joining the party…people are starting to wonder where you've gotten to."

"I doubt they were wonderin' about me." Deacon laughed.

"Actually, I was." Juliette chimed. "We've got a song to rehearse...I don't mind so much about people wonderin' where Rayna is...means more people are lookin' at me and that means more opportunity to win this thing."

"Ouch." Rayna scoffed, feigning hurt as she smiled.

"Sorry...too far I know." Juliette agreed.

"Sorry Buck, I didn't me-" Rayna tried.

"-I was just, we were…" Deacon spoke up, clearing his throat. "Rayna was askin'….She wanted to meet with Scarlett and Gunnar and I… offered to introduce her again…That's where we're headed now."

"Right, I wanted to do that…talk about a few things…like writin' and the tour." Rayna replied unconvincingly, looking at Deacon to follow his lead as he started to walk past Bucky and Liam.

"We weren't interrupting anything important were we?" Liam called, already knowing the answer to his own question.

Rayna blushed, cursing her outward expression as the three of them looked at her shrewdly. Unsteadily, she stumbled past them, grinning as she bolted after Deacon.

"Well that was pointless, they're gone again." Juliette muttered.

"I can see you've got your hands full? _With what exactly_?…" Deacon whispered, impersonating Bucky as he quickly walked away with Rayna.

"Stop." She laughed, crossing her arms as she followed him. "They're all watchin' us."

"Let them."

Rayna shook her head as she stole a quick look over her shoulder. She'd forgotten what it was like to just laugh with Deacon.

**- NASHVILLE -**

**5:30am**

"Mmmm." Rayna whinged, holding up a hand to silence Liam as he sat down in the seat next to her on the jet. "It's way too early for this."

"All I did was sit down." Liam argued, looking around the somewhat empty jet. Bucky sat three seats down, talking on his cell phone.

"It's not the sittin' down that I'm worried about…it's what's gonna come out of that mouth of yours."

"Pretty sure there have been a few times you've found my mouth to be-" Liam grinned, turning in his seat to face her.

"-It's 5am. 5am and you're flirtin' with me." Rayna shook her head. "This is exactly why you can't sit there."

Rayna and Liam didn't take much notice of Juliette, Emily, Glenn, Deacon and Stacey as they boarded the jet because they were too busy arguing about one of the new tracks on the record. Juliette was grumbling as she, Emily and Glenn took seats next to each other. Deacon ushered Stacey into a seat, smiling as she intertwined her fingers with his before they sat. Rayna went quiet, pangs of jealousy tearing at her insides as she tried to subtly avert her gaze from them. She swore when Stacey looked up, she was too late.

"Hey!" Rayna exclaimed, pursing her lips as she reassessed her over-enthusiasm. Liam laughed under his breath, stopping when Rayna's nails dug into his arm.

"Hi." Stacey nodded, taking little interest in Rayna's warm welcome as she got comfortable. Deacon looked at Stacey, taken aback by her sudden unfriendliness.

"Well this is gonna be fun." Rayna spoke lowly, smiling through her teeth as Liam removed his arm from Rayna's tightening grip.

"On second thoughts….I might move." Liam tried.

"Don't even think about it."

"Now you want me." Liam laughed, raising his voice slightly. "Not sure how I feel about this 'now you want me, then you don't' business…I'm not a toy."

"Oh please. You love it." Rayna smiled, pulling her hair into a messy ponytail as she ignored Deacon who was watching them closely, envy written all over his face.

**- NASHVILLE -**

**6:36am**

Rayna opened her eyes to look around the cabin. Everyone was sleeping, pillows and jackets pulled over their faces. She had tried to force herself to sleep but her thoughts had been running rings around her, making it impossible to do anything but stay awake. Her eyes stopped on Stacey and Deacon. Stacey was nestled into his side, sleeping peacefully as his head rested on hers. Rayna rolled her eyes, abruptly standing before heading for the kitchenette at the back of the jet. She slammed the switch on the kettle and pulled her ponytail out, angrily shovelling her hands through her hair till it sat around her face. Mumbling to herself, Rayna spun around, stopping mid turn when she looked up to see Deacon leaning against the doorframe.

"What?" Rayna questioned, blowing hair out of her face as she put a hand to her hip.

"Love the new look." Deacon smirked, pointing to her tousled hair. His eyes travelled down her body, noticing the oversized sweater, leggings and boots. Rayna glared at him before letting a smile creep onto her lips.

"It's 6am." She said dryly, waving her hand up and down her body. "This is as good as it's gonna get."

"Well then."

"Don't _well then _me."

"Whoa." Deacon raised his eyebrows, stepping into the kitchenette. "Kind of touchy don't you think? Especially when I wasn't makin' fun of you…I do love the look."

"What are you doin' up? I thought you were asleep." She tried, avoiding his indirect compliment.

"You were watchin' me?"

"No I wasn't." Rayna scoffed, giving him a look as she cocked her head.

"What are you doin'?" He asked.

"Just passin' time I guess." She shrugged, her fingers making circles on the countertop.

"Need someone to help you with that?"

Deacon leant against the counter, keeping his eyes on hers. Rayna blushed, biting her cheek as she felt herself shiver. The kettle came to a boil and they both ignored it, comfortably engaging in silent conversation. Rayna jumped when Deacon stepped forward and unexpectedly knelt in front of her, his fingers brushing her knees as he gently steered her backward so he could get two cups out of the cupboard. Rayna stood motionless, fixated on staying still out of fear that her knees would give way when he stood and leant over her to get the kettle. Deacon made two coffees, handing her one as he looked at her curiously.

"What are you thinkin' about?" He asked, still standing in her personal space.

"Nothin'." She lied, taking a step away from him as she held her cup close to her chest.

"Nothin'?"

"I already said that."

"Ok then…" He breathed, putting his cup down as he smiled. "You're sunshine and lollipops today aren't you?"

"Seriously Deacon, it's 6am." She replied, shaking her head as she looked out into the quiet cabin before sliding down to sit on the floor. "Bein' on a jet full of sleepin' people...it tends to limit the fun factors."

"I've got an idea." He whispered, disappearing from the kitchenette into the cabin. To Rayna's horror, he began quietly rifling through her travel bag on the seat next to Liam who lay dead to the world. He finally pulled out a notebook, holding it in the air proudly.

"Put it back!" She mouthed, shaking her head viciously as she shifted her position on the floor. "Deacon!"

Deacon grinned, running back to her. He grabbed his cup, sitting next to her as she whinged and made attempts to grab the notebook off him.

"Deacon, give it to me." She warned, crashing into him as she reached for the notebook.

"You seemed to have an awful hard time at the Bluebird rememberin' the songs you wrote with Liam…." Deacon mused, ignoring her cussing as he held the notebook out of her reach. "I wanna see if I can understand why they are so forgettable."

"Are you serious?! This is about Liam?" She hissed, glaring at him. "This is stupid…I'm not kiddin' Dea-"

"-Neither am I." He smiled, amused by how infuriated she was. "You seem pretty determined not to let me see what's in here…must be some hot stuff y'all got to writin'."

"You're real funny." She spat, clambering on top of him to get the notebook. The heat that came with the close contact overwhelmed Deacon, leaving him speechless as he watched her reach up and grasp the notebook with both hands. Rayna froze, suddenly aware of her current position; she was sitting on his lap and they were now chest to chest, breathing one another's air. Both refusing to let go of the notebook, they kept their eyes locked as they ignored the involuntary responses their bodies were having towards each other. They could taste the tension between them, their hearts racing and breathing quickening with every second they stayed this way. Rayna shook the mood, smiling quickly before she rolled off his lap and onto the floor beside him, notebook in hand.

"Must have been some writin' trip..." Deacon mumbled, looking at the ceiling as he willed himself to concentrate on anything but the feeling of her body against his.

"You don't get to say things like that." She whispered, leaning her head back against the cupboard. "I can write with whoever I want…Scarlett and Gunnar are comin' out to join the tour soon so do some collaboratin' for the new record…Do you want me to tell them not to bother comin' coz you won't like it?"

"I never said that you couldn't write with whoever you want Ray."

"You don't have to."

"I just don't understand why I can't see what's in the notebook." Deacon shrugged, picking up his cup to take a sip. "Lia-"

"-Are you jealous of Liam?"

"Rayna." He shook his head, attempting to hide the bitterness in his tone.

"Why don't you just go back and sit with Stacey now ok?" Rayna suggested.

"What does Stacey have to do with this?"

"Deacon."

"You're the one who brought it up." Deacon pressed, crossing his arms as he looked at her staring off into the distance. "Are _you _jealous?"

"What kind of question is that?" She exclaimed.

"Same one you asked me."

"Alright." Rayna responded, looking at him cautiously. "Clearly we're gonna keep arguin' and I don't want to argue with you…Why don't you and I just agree to quit talkin' about each others personal lives…I think it'd be best, I think it'd be easier for both of us."

"Fine."

"Fine." She said decisively, putting her cup in the sink as she walked out of the kitchenette and into the toilet. Locking the door behind her she sat on the toilet seat and looked down at the notebook.

There had been a good reason why she hadn't wanted Deacon to open that notebook; amongst manuscript paper and clippings she had hidden letters from Deacon that she'd held onto from a lifetime ago. Reluctantly, her fingers hovered over the front cover before she flipped pages until she got to the back, loose papers messily filed away. She pulled out one and unfolded it, smiling fondly as she recognised the familiar scrawl. It was a letter he'd sent her after a big blow up that had resulted in them not speaking. She'd completely forgotten the significance of the words inked on this page until she began to read.

_Ray, __Ain't you satisfied with me? You're killin' me when you try and hide it. For once why don't you get down off those high heels of yours and admit it. I'm all you've got. I'm all you'll ever need. I'm all you'll ever have. I know that you may not think much of it now…but you need to know…Rayna, no one will ever love you, darlin' nobody will ever love you you like I do. __I need you to know that, __Deacon_

Unsteadily, Rayna put the letter back in the notebook, slamming it shut as she thought about the song that had come from those words, the countless times they'd sung it together and the emotions that it evoked in the both of them every time they'd poured their hearts out to one another on stage. Rayna swore, putting her head in her hands. Staying out of one another's personal lives was going to be a lot harder than she'd told herself it'd be because as much as wanted to ignore it, they were already knee deep in any and every thing that was personal and important to each other.

"Stupid song."

**- NASHVILLE -**

Slamming his head against the cupboard as he sat on the floor, Deacon mumbled expletives as he thought about what had just happened. Spreading his legs out, he ran his hands along the floor, stopping when he felt something under his fingertips. Curious, he picked it up and unfolded it. He choked when he recognised the handwriting. Quickly scanning the letter, he looked up in the direction of the engaged toilet, hoping Rayna would appear. She didn't.

"You kept it?" Deacon smiled, his fingers warily tracing the words as he thought back to the day he'd gotten the letter in the mail. There had been a war of words and they'd settled with silence, both too stubborn to wave a white flag and declare defeat. It had killed them both, not speaking to one another. It had also driven everyone else around them crazy. Eventually, Bucky had convinced them to send each other a letter with the purpose of gently getting their points across in the hope that they would ultimately resolve the dispute. This letter had been the one she had sent him. In a matter of hours, they had made up for the lost time and ended up writing a song, using one another's heartfelt confessions as lyrics. Deacon couldn't believe that after all this time, Rayna had held onto this. He looked at the paper again and read it slowly.

_Deacon, __You can't be serious when you tell me that someone's waitin' for you, that someone else needs you...because that's just so damn stupid. Can't we just cut the bull and admit that it's not true? I know why you're lonely…it's time you knew it too. I'm over now, I'm through with fighting…please tell me you are too. I need you, I need this, I need us. __Deacon I love you, __Ray_

"Deacon?" Stacey called sleepily, startling him out of his quiet reminiscing.

He shoved the paper into his pocket, wiping his sweaty palms against his jeans. "Comin'."


	15. Chapter 15

**NB: THANK YOU every reader who is sticking by BRAVE FACE and leaving your LOVES/HATES/THOUGHTS/COMMENTS...I am so grateful for the time you take to leave a review, so thank you so so much. In this chapter, Scarlett and Gunnar sing a song by 'The Civil Wars - I Want You Back' (I own nothing, all copyright goes to respective artists and writers)...PLEASE KEEP YOUR LOVES/THOUGHTS/HATES/COMMENTS/FAVORITES/WHATEVER ELSE COMING...I love writing this story, knowing that you are all taking this journey with me...I'm still reeling over last night's episode..what is one supposed to do with all that heart dragging and drama? I do not know...Anyway, enjoy chapter fifteen...**

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**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

**One Day Later**

"Alright, alright." Rayna called, squinting as she pulled on a dressing gown and opened the front door to the penthouse. "I swear Liam I'm gonna kill you for wakin' me for a late night-"

"-Liam ain't here." Juliette greeted, holding up her hands as she digested Rayna's words. "Although I'm curious-"

Rayna cringed, cursing her choice of words as she stepped outside. "-That did not come out like it should have."

"Really?"

"Juliette, it's 3am."

"I know, I'm sorry but I thought you'd wanna know that was was goin' back to Nashville." Juliette replied.

"What? Now?"

"I've kind of got a family emergency with my Momma."

"Is everythin' ok?"

"Mmm…I dunno, that's the reason I'm here to see you…I'm gonna fly back home now and I'll be takin' my jet."

"Will you be back for the show tonight?" Rayna asked, surprised by Juliette's willingness to drop everything to go back to Nashville.

"I honestly don't know." Juliette replied, already walking backwards. "I won't know till I get there."

"What?" Rayna murmured, her mind a little foggy as she tried to understand what was going on.

"I'll let you know either way."

**- NASHVILLE -**

"I told you that I'd already committed to this gig over a year ago." Liam reiterated, crossing his arms as Rayna paced back and forth.

"I don't remember you sayin' anythin' about this."

"Well I told you…I didn't think I'd still be standin' in as your lead guitarist." Liam continued, catching Bucky's smirk as he looked up from a table of papers. "So it wasn't gonna be a problem."

"This day couldn't get any worse could it?" Rayna exclaimed, resting her hands on her head as she spoke. "Juliette's out now for-"

"-Possibly 5 shows." Bucky finished before answering his phone.

"5 shows…and that means I have a whole show to prepare for instead of half a set…AND I'm short a lead guitarist."

"As much as I _love_ listening to you whinge…" Liam teased, picking up his bag. "I've really gotta head off."

"Yeah…thanks." Rayna said flatly, weakly smiling as he made a face. "Sorry, I'm just _freaking_ out a little."

"A little?"

"Alright now, get out of here before I throw something at you."

Bucky hung up his cell phone and waited till she gave him her attention. "Ok, so that was Glenn. He's confirming Juliette has officially pulled out of those shows. I'm not quite sure if her crew's gonna be sticking around but I've gotta notify our crew of the changes."

"Well, it's gotta be bad if she pullin' out of so many shows...never thought I'd see the day she'd do that...I've gotta give her some credit I tell you." Rayna mumbled, twirling her hair as she leant against the doorframe of the dressing room and watched people running back and forth. "What about that guitarist you introduced me to? Um, Andrea?"

"Adria?"

"Mmhmm, that's it."

"Already called her, she's on another job at the moment and politely declined the offer." Bucky answered grimly.

"What the hell are we gonna do?" Rayna cried, hands on hips as she looked at Bucky.

"Hey...Is everythin' alright in here?" Deacon asked, knocking on the door as he walked in, stepping past Rayna into the dressing room.

"So you've heard?"

"Juliette called me."

"How is she?"

"Alright I guess, a little shaken but nothin' she can't handle."

Rayna nodded thoughtfully before turning on her heel to pace again. Bucky smiled gratefully at Deacon, thankful that someone else was here to act as a buffer.

"I dunno what I'm gonna do." She breathed. "Without Liam this-"

"-I think I know how to fix this." Bucky interrupted, warily looking at them as they turned to face him. "Remember the conversation you, Watty and I had way back before we'd started plannin' your tour? The one about downsizing, just a couple of guitars and microphones-"

"-I know what conversation you're talkin' about…and I know where you're goin' with this and I really don't think that'd fix anythin'." Rayna replied, recalling the conversation. "There is no way he's gonna wanna do that. It's a crazy idea."

"Not really. Pulling a whole new show together this quickly with a new lead…you're just asking for everything to fall apart." Bucky pushed, raising an eyebrow as Rayna glared at him. "But doing what I'm suggesting means you get to do something personal, intimate…a whole different take on what this tour's been about since the start…I don't see that you have any other options."

"He won't agree to this."

"Who won't agree to what?" Deacon interjected, stepping into the conversation.

"Bucky's suggestin' you and I should do these shows together. Strip back the songs and do somethin' a little like what we did a few weeks back with those acoustic sets in San Diego. But like I said, it's a crazy idea and there's no way you-"

"-Let's do it." He shrugged.

"Thankyou." Rayna exclaimed, throwing a hand in the air in victory before she backtracked. "Wait, what?"

"I think it's a good idea." Deacon rephrased, watching shock begin to fall across her face.

"Deacon you know you don't have to do this right? Bucky wasn't bein' serious."

"I know I don't, but I want to."

"See?..." Bucky relaxed, walking between them. "Not that hard to listen to me is it?"

"Wh…Bucky?!" Rayna stuttered, looking at him incredulously as he walked away. "You're not serious?"

"Look at my face...This is my serious face." Bucky said flatly, pulling out his cell phone. "By the way, Scarlett and Gunnar are arriving today like we planned…I'll send you're assistant to go pick them up."

Rayna swore, slapping her forehead. "That's today?"

"I can pick them up." Deacon offered.

"Not if you and Rayna are gonna be rehearsing you won't." Bucky smiled, tapping the doorframe. "If you'll excuse me I've got a crew to go sort out…a bus to organise and a hundred other things I'm sure you don't wanna hear about."

"The bus?" Rayna called, confused as to what about it needed organising.

"It's gonna need to be ready for you guys after tonight's show…we leave for Denver tonight so you're gonna need a bus...I'll catch you later ok, I'll organise for the band to meet you both in an hour." He replied, stepping out of the room to leave a very quiet Deacon and Rayna behind as realisation dawned on them. Doing these shows together meant sharing a tour bus too. How had they forgotten that tours meant buses too.

"Still sure you wanna do this?" Rayna asked.

"Setlist…What'd you wanna start with? We don't have a lot of time-"

"-Juliette won't mind you jumpin' on my tour?" Rayna tried, tugging at her hair. "How about, what about Sta-?"

"Ray…I'll handle it." Deacon smiled, shaking his head at her hesitation. If there was anything he was certain of in this moment, it was his decision to say yes to join her band on this short leg of the tour. He didn't care what it cost, he could swear black and blue that he was only doing this to stop her shows from falling apart, but he knew there were more reasons then that. Right now, there was no other place he wanted to be. "Now quit complainin' and tell me where we're supposed to start?"

**- NASHVILLE -**

Deacon and Rayna left the roaring applause behind as they walked off the stage; crew, assistants and security surrounding them as they walked down the steps. Rayna handed over her foldback power pack and microphone to a tech guy and smiled as Bucky greeted them with Scarlett and Gunnar not far behind.

"Hey y'all!"

"Miss Jaymes…I mean Rayna." Scarlett stammered, pulling on her VIP lanyard. "And Uncle Deacon…that was incredible…I haven't heard some of those song's since I was a little girl."

"Darlin' I'm not sure that's the most encouragin' thing to say." Deacon smirked. "Although, it sure is a good way to make us feel old."

"You're old." Rayna laughed, pushing him lightly as Bucky led her away. "We'll see you kids on the bus."

"Lookin' forward to it." Gunnar replied, waving with Scarlett as she left.

After a series of hellos and goodbyes, handshaking and thankyous, Rayna and Bucky headed for the back door leading out to the waiting tour bus. Something caught Rayna's eyes and she slowed her pace. It was Deacon and Stacey.

"What on earth makes you think I'm comfortable with it?" Stacey snapped, crossing her arms. "You're both sleeping on the same bus together."

"Stace, we're hardly sleepin' together…you know that...we're sleepin' on opposite ends of the bus. Besides, Gunnar and Scarlett are gonna be there too." He offered.

"Don't look at me like that…I'm not being a jealous girlfriend right now…I'm just pointing out the truth…Deacon, do you, do even want me here?"

"Look, we can't do this now…I've really gotta go…I'm sorry…We'll talk in Denver." Deacon breathed, whispering something as he pulled a reluctant Stacey into his arms to say goodbye before he let go of her to walk away.

Instinctively, Rayna bolted out of the door for the bus. There was no way she planned on being spotted by either of them. Bucky hurried after her, swearing under his breath as he tried to catch up. By the time Deacon stormed onto the bus Rayna was sitting on a lounge pulling off her boots.

"You all good to go?" Bucky asked, standing on the stairs. Rayna looked back at Deacon who was shoving bags into an empty bunk opposite to where Scarlett and Gunnar had put their belongings.

"Yeah, thanks babe." Rayna smiled. "I'll check in with you later ok?"

"See you all in the morning." He smiled, walking down the steps before the driver shut the door and slowly pulled out of the arena parking lot.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"What's that you're workin' on?" Rayna asked curiously, looking at the clock as she walked through the bus and into the kitchen/lounge area where Scarlett and Gunnar sat, papers and chip packets surrounding them. 1:00am.

"Oh nothin'." Scarlett smiled. "Just a little somethin' that we play whenever we get stuck with somethin' we're writin'..."

"I see….Is Deacon asleep?" Rayna asked, gesturing back to the only bunk with its curtains drawn.

"Don't think so…he's hiding." Scarlett shrugged.

"He hasn't said much since you disappeared a couple of hours ago." Gunnar replied.

"Hmmm we can't have that can we?" She replied, walking towards his bunk. "If you'll excuse me."

"Don't wake him! He get's cranky…Trust me, cranky Deacon is never a good thing." Scarlett peeped, scrunching up her face as Rayna made her way across the bus.

"Oh, I know how he gets." Rayna smirked, raising an eyebrow.

Drawing the curtains back she giggled, shaking her head as Deacon frowned at her. Propped up, Deacon sat with his arms crossed, pretending to be annoyed that he'd been the topic of conversation. Rayna dropped to her knees, leaning against the side of the bed as she grinned. "Hey happy…feel like joinin' us out here?"

"I've got better things to do." Deacon joked, chuckling when Rayna pushed him. "Like sleepin' Don't y'all know what time it is?"

"Come on…You're not sleepin'…Thought we could do some writing if you're up for it." Rayna suggested, resting her chin on her hands as she smiled coyly. "Like old times."

"Ah no…No amount of lookin' at me like that is gonna get me out of here."

"I'm not so sure-" She started, before pausing to listen to the music that had begun to stream through the bus.

In an attempt to give Deacon and Rayna privacy, the young songwriters had promptly begun to play music in a bid to shield their ears from the conversation. Gunnar was slowly plucking strings on his guitar, swaying in time with Scarlett as she grinned at him. Deacon stuck his head out of the bunk, his chest resting against Rayna's back as he looked at what she was staring at. Rayna gasped, ignoring the rush that came with feeling him so close to her. Scarlett was giggling, counting herself in when Gunnar nodded in her direction.

"Tryin' to live without your love is like one long sleepless night. Let me show you boy that I really know, I know wrong from right. Cause every street you're walkin' on you leave tear stains on the ground. Oh follow that boy, I didn't even want, I didn't even want around." Scarlett sang, her body moving in time with the music as Gunnar played.

Gunnar smiled, following her lead as his voice found the harmony. "Oh baby, give me one more chance to show you that I love you. Won't you please let me in your heart? Oh darlin' I was blind to let you go…let you go baby. Now that I see you in his arms. I want you back. I want you back. I want you back."

Both fixated on Scarlett and Gunnar, Deacon and Rayna hadn't noticed that while they had been watching them, their hands had found each other, fingers intertwining themselves unthinkingly as they listened to the song. Rayna had leant back into his chest and Deacon had made no attempts to change their position.

"I want you back…I want you back…I want you back." Scarlett finished, beaming as Gunnar played the final note.

"Let's go again." Scarlett ordered, making signals with her hands as she spoke. "I messed up that 'blind to let you go baby' part by comin' in too quick…sounded terrible."

"It wasn't terrible." Gunnar said defensively, leaning on the guitar as they laughed. Scarlett swatted his arm and they quickly fell into talking about lyric and melody changes that she thought they could make.

Deacon cleared his throat, reality creeping in as he took in their surroundings. He looked down at his and Rayna's fingers, both holding onto one another's tightly. He didn't want this moment to end and the way she had initially ignored his subtle hint to shake the mood told him she felt the same. Suddenly, Rayna moved quickly, reluctantly breaking the contact before wiping her hand on the bedcovers.

"Still feel like hangin' in your bunk?" Rayna asked, blushing when she caught him staring at her as he shook his head.

"Mind if we join you guys?" Deacon called, startling Scarlett and Gunnar out of their conversation. "I hear y'all supposed to be some decent songwriters."

"Sure." Gunnar replied, gesturing to the lounge opposite them. Rayna sat obediently, watching Deacon grab his guitar before he sat next to her.

"What now?" Deacon grinned.

"You tell us…you're the one's with all the number one songs." Gunnar replied.

Deacon and Rayna laughed, downplaying their successes by making jokes about how they had written their fair share of terrible songs over the years.

"There's actually somethin' we've been workin' on…" Scarlett said shyly, her eyes darting in Gunnar's direction. "I kinda got stuck with the lyrics…so did he…Maybe you could have a listen and see what you think…help us out a little?"

"Ok." Deacon agreed, looking at Rayna for her approval.

"Take it away." Rayna smiled, pulling her knees up under her chin.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Looking at the disorderly state of her hair in the mirror, Rayna laughed. For someone who had only managed to get 4 hours sleep, she wasn't looking too bad. She put it down to the thrill of finishing that song with Scarlett and Gunnar earlier this morning. They had all got lost in a world of different melodies, lyrics and back and forth chopping and changing. Eventually, Scarlett had fallen asleep shy of 3:30am and they'd called it a night. Rayna smiled as she thought about it. Throwing on a sweater and a pair of jeans she tiptoed out to the kitchenette, making a cup of coffee as she pulled out her cell phone to call the girls.

"Good morning." Deacon sung, startling Rayna when she turned around to see him in only a pair of track pants. She gulped her coffee down, averting her eyes as she attempted to hide her face. Rayna managed to return the greeting, biting her tongue as she looked in her cup.

Recomposing herself, she pointed to the window. "We're here."

"I can see that." He smiled, pulling a bottle of water out of the fridge. "Where are the other two?"

"No idea. I'd hazard a guess and say they're out eatin' breakfast."

"You hungry?" He asked, pulling a t-shirt on. Rayna exhaled, immediately thankful that he'd thought it appropriate to better clothe himself. "What time is it?"

"8am." She replied, checking her cell phone. "I was just gonna call the girls before they headed off to school."

"Why don't you call them and I'll go get us some food?" He suggested, putting on shoes before he made his way to the front of the bus. Rayna's expression softened as she watched him run his hands through his hair. "It'll be quicker if go…we've got a lot of rehearsin' to do today, especially if you're wantin' to do that song that got finished last night…If I go no one's gonna want to talk to me…that'll give us more time."

"Ok, whatever you want I don't mind." She blushed, dialling her home number as he hopped off the bus.

"Hey baby!" Rayna squealed, leaning against the kitchenette counter. "How are you?...I miss you so so much!"

Rayna looked at the ceiling, smiling as the girls took turns retelling stories and asking questions about the tour, new songs, when she was coming home, when they could come out on tour again; the list went on and on. Startled, she almost swore when she noticed Stacey standing at the top of the stairs at the front of the bus. Rayna smiled widely, waving at the woman as she quickly said her goodbyes and hung up the phone.

"Deacon's not here." Rayna said tentatively, looking uneasily around the empty bus as the iciness in the air hit her. "Feel free to wai-"

"-I'm not here to see Deacon." Stacey spoke, bitter undertones drenching her words. "You're actually who I was looking for."

"Really? Well that's a nice suprise."

"I don't know how else to say this so I'm just gonna come out with it...Do me a favor and stay away from him." Stacey said bluntly.

"Excuse me?!" Rayna exclaimed, raising a hand to her hip.

"You may be singing love songs together, sleeping on the same tour bus and whatever else it is you're both doing…but he's _my_ boyfriend."

"Look, I don't know what you're suggestin'-"

"-Don't pretend that you don't know what I'm talking about."

"You've gotta be kiddin' me." Rayna breathed, slamming the counter as she looked out the window. "This is unbelievable."

"I see the way you look at him…I see it every time you're together." Stacey continued, crossing her arms. "But I also know that whatever was between you…you've hurt him…I don't wanna see him get hurt again."

"Ok, firstly." Rayna fired up, holding up fingers to count. "How dare you…and secondly…don't go throwin' words in my face when you have no idea what you're talkin' about."

"I know enough to know that you lead him on and mess with him when he finally walks away and decides to move on."

"You are so out of line right now."

"Am I?" Stacey challenged, cocking her head.

Rayna was ropable, knuckles white as she clenched her fists. "You don't know the first thing-"

"-Don't get angry…But they only had one egg and bacon muffin and I really wanted it so I ate-" Deacon called, voluntarily silencing his tongue when he looked up to see Stacey and Rayna glaring at one another. Reluctantly, he chose to speak. "What's goin' on here?"

"Nothing." They replied in unison.

"I was just leavin'." Rayna said flatly, picking up her jacket and cell phone as she walked past them. "You two must wanna spend some good old quality time together, considerin' you were stuck on this bus with me and all."

"But I thought we were rehears-" He started, confused as to what was going on.

"-Nice seein' you again Stacey." Rayna muttered sarcastically. "I'm glad we had this chat."

"Likewise." She smiled, looking up at Deacon as Rayna stormed off the bus.

"What the hell was that?" He exclaimed, leaning backwards to watch Rayna as she disappeared.

"It was nothing."


	16. Chapter 16

**NB: THANK YOU, THANK YOU..to every reader and reviewer...each LOVE/HATE/THOUGHT/COMMENT is so appreciated...SO MUCH SO, that the chapter sixteen below is actually a completely new chapter to the one I intended to make chapter sixteen (if anyone is curious, it has just been pushed back a chapter or two). It's crazy and maybe I like to do things the harder way BUT yes, after reading reviews and re-reading chapters I wasn't entirely happy so I wrote a new chapter and added it in for y'all...SO THANK YOU readers...I'll have you know I actually consider the things you say. Anyway, there are are two songs in this chapter...I own nothing, all copyright to respective artists. Song #1 is 'All Of Your Heart - FM Radio' and Song #2 is 'Ever Could - William Fitzsimmons'...PLEASE CONTINUE LEAVING YOUR LOVES/HATES/THOUGHTS/WANTS/COMMENTS/WHATEVER ELSE COMING...enjoy chapter sixteen. **

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**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

Rayna furiously kicked off her boots and collapsed onto the bed. Her hair flew across her face and she made no attempts to brush it away because she felt like it was hiding her from the outside world. She'd escaped to the master suite once they'd all boarded the bus and hoped that the other three would take the hint and leave her alone. She needed to breath, to refocus. More than anything Rayna wanted to be left to just sit in her anger. She was certain she'd been less than friendly today, but quite frankly she didn't care. The unexpected visit from Stacey earlier that morning had left her in a foul mood and everyone had noticed, crew and band members alike. Deacon had asked his fair share of questions about her said attitude but she'd remained tight-lipped, brushing off his questions with smart remarks and blank looks. She wasn't even sure how she was feeling or what to make of Stacey's verbal assault, but she knew it only fuelled her loathing. What did Deacon see in her? Who does she think she is? Is this what it had felt like for Deacon when she'd been married to Teddy? Rayna cringed at the possibility before she began to wonder if Teddy and Deacon had ever had similar exchanges like the one she'd had with Stacey. She swore and pushed the thoughts out of her mind.

Looking around, Rayna rolled onto her stomach and reached under the bed to pull out a packet of Reese's Cups she'd hidden. She grinned when she found them, impulsively ripping the packet open. One by one, she slowly began to eat them while she lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. She was sure she was going to make herself feel sick but she tried not to think about it. A good hour passed and Rayna exhaled heavily, shifting on the bed as her mind continued to tirelessly remind her of Deacon and then the words shared between her and Stacey.

"Well this is fun." She muttered, closing her eyes.

Laughter and guitars pierced the silence and Rayna sat up, curiosity jolting her off the bed. Maybe she wasn't so interested in being cooped up with her own thoughts anymore. If Rayna was being honest, she was just about ready to break something. That is exactly what would happen if she stayed in here any longer. Surely whatever was going on out there had to be far less destructive than what could happen in here.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"I don't remember that one." Deacon shook his head, drumming his fingers on the top of his guitar.

"Sure you do." Scarlett replied.

"Darlin' it was a long time ago-"

"-Uncle Deacon, don't give me that…I know you know what I'm talkin' about."

Deacon chuckled, relaxing back into the lounge opposite the one that Scarlett and Gunnar sat on. They'd been like this for the last hour or so, reminiscing on old songs and past times. Deacon didn't know whether Scarlett was doing it on purpose or not, but she kept bringing conversation around to the days when he and Rayna had written music together. Unintentionally, Deacon found himself looking in the direction of the master suite, hoping to find Rayna standing in the doorway but all he saw was an empty walkway. Rayna had been anything but pleasant to be around today and everyone had noticed. She hadn't alluded to it but Deacon already knew it had something to do with Stacey, he just didn't know what. He smiled sheepishly when Scarlett jumped up and asked if anyone wanted anything from the fridge.

"Orange juice please."

Scarlett looked confused. "Aren't they Rayna's?"

"_Orange juice_." He repeated, thanking her when she reluctantly handed him the bottle. Deacon gulped down a good half of the drink and Scarlett shook her head as she sat back down.

"Please would you play it." Scarlett begged, tucking her feet under herself. "I always loved that song."

"It's really not the kind of song you sing alone." Deacon spoke reluctantly.

"What isn't?" Rayna asked, surprising them as she walked into the kitchen/lounge area.

"Oh, look who's decided to join us." Deacon teased, hiding the elation in his voice.

"Is that my orange juice?"

"What? No."

"Oh." She shrugged, tapping his legs so that he'd move them to let her pass. She sat next to him and picked up the bottle. "So you've just decided to start labellin' your drinks with my name then?"

"Just like you decided to start raidin' the stash of Reece's Cups in my bunk." Deacon grinned.

"Whatever." She replied, taking a sip of the orange juice, as she got comfortable. Deacon pointed out it was his drink and she shot him a look. Her cell phone buzzed and Rayna looked at the screen, quickly frowning once she read the message. "Come on Buck, really?"

"What?" Deacon asked.

"Apparently we have a breakfast show thing tomorrow mornin'….it's early too."

"That sounds fun." Scarlett offered, twirling her hair as she spoke. Deacon and Rayna both looked at her blankly. "Or not."

"I think I'm just gonna show up in my pyjamas…see what they think of that." Rayna muttered, looking desperately at Deacon as she whinged. "Deacon, I don't wanna do it."

"If I've learnt anything…when Buck wants you to do somethin', you do it."

"I've got a headache just thinkin' about it."

"You're the headache."

"I'm the headache?!" Rayna spluttered, turning to face him. "You're the headache."

"I'm not so sure." He smiled, lightly tapping her arm. Rayna returned the smile, letting the moment linger.

"Hey y'all…Do you feel like goin' for us." Rayna joked, looking over at Gunnar and Scarlett. "Might save a few headaches, a few arguments on both our parts."

Scarlett and Gunnar shook their heads hastily and kept quiet as they watched Deacon and Rayna continue to bicker. Gunnar muttered something about how Deacon had suddenly gotten a lot chirpier and Scarlett shushed him as she grinned. If there was ever a time for her to get her uncle to sing the song she wanted to hear, it was now.

"I don't think we'd be able to 'Deacon and Rayna' it up enough if we were to go." Scarlett jested, leaning into Gunnar. Deacon and Rayna looked at them vacantly.

"Scarlett, what does that even mean?" Deacon asked.

"_Deacon and Rayna _it up?" Rayna followed, cocking her head as she looked from Deacon to Scarlett.

"You know, get that vibe y'all have when you sing together. That one where you're not thinkin' about anyone else…you're just singin' to each other." Gunnar spoke candidly, nodding in Scarlett's direction when she agreed. "It's not somethin' you can replicate."

"Oh come on…" Rayna protested. "Seriously?"

They both nodded and Scarlett pulled her knees up to her chest. "It's somethin' I've always loved about your music…especially the earlier songs…like All Of Your Heart."

"That's an old one." Rayna whistled.

"Maybe you could sing it?" Scarlett grinned, looking at Deacon. He knew exactly where she was going with and he chuckled. Scarlett sure was determined to hear this song tonight.

"I don't even know if I remember how it goes, y'all might need to remind me." Rayna replied, blowing hair out of her face as she pulled her feet underneath herself.

"Oh no, we can't do that-" Scarlett stammered.

"-Sure you can." Rayna interjected.

"It'd be like committin' a sin, singin' it when you're both sittin' here in front of us."

"Just forget we're here." Deacon laughed, amused by the fact that Scarlett's plan had seemed to backfire on her.

"Well." Scarlett drawled, looking over at Gunnar. "This'll be interestin'…ready if you are Gunnar…Don't say we didn't warn you if it sounds nothin' like its supposed to."

Gunnar struck the first chord, creating a steady rhythm as he continued to play. Scarlett sought out his gaze, waiting to be cued in. Gunnar smiled and they both began to sing. "Here I am, can't help fallin' in and my heart's here for the takin'. Say what you want but this feels right and fear is just a feelin'. Could you please belong to me?"

Scarlett tapped out a beat on her knee, keeping in time with the music. Deacon straightened his position on the lounge and gently began playing an accompanying riff, Gunnar looked up briefly to acknowledge him as he and Scarlett sang the chorus. "I want all of you, everythin'. All of your heart, all of your heart. Cause you've got every part of me. All of my heart, I'll give you all of my heart."

Memories began to wash over Rayna as the song sprung to life, she hadn't forgotten it at all; the melody, the lyrics, all of it. As Scarlett and Gunnar had sung, Rayna found herself watching Deacon. Startled, Rayna flushed when Deacon unexpectedly met her gaze, smiling warmly as he played the finishing strains of the chorus. Before Rayna knew what she was doing, she opened her mouth to join them.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." She sung, surprising Scarlett and Gunnar who consequently fell silent to listen, letting her take over. Still playing, Deacon took this as a cue and turned on the lounge to face her, humming along as she continued to sing. Rayna ran a hand through her hair, mirroring his position as she grinned. "Pre-chorus."

Deacon nodded, his fingers dancing over the strings as he strummed the guitar.

"Could you please belong to me?" They sang together, swaying with the melody. "I want all of you, everythin'. All of your heart, all of your heart. Cause you've got every part of me. All of my heart, I'll give you all of my heart."

Scarlett and Gunnar tried to tear their eyes away from the pair but they couldn't find it in themselves to do it. There was something about the way they sang, the gestures, the looks, the undeniable connection and the emotion that they seemed to wrap around the melody. Everything about it captivated their attention and left them hanging off every word until Deacon played the last chord. Initially Deacon and Rayna hadn't noticed the other two clapping loudly after they'd finished, they were stuck on letting the lyrics resound throughout their insides. Deacon reached out and squeezed her hand before turning to smile at his niece.

"And that is why…" Scarlett exhaled before assuming a cheerful tone. "No one should ever try singin' one of your songs…You're foolin' yourself if you think you can pull it off."

"I dunno about that." Rayna replied, smiling over at Deacon. Scarlett cocked her head, eyes darting between her uncle and Rayna. By the way silence fell throughout the bus, Scarlett knew that this was the excuse they needed to give them privacy.

"Well, I think we're gonna call it a night." Scarlett yawned, reaching over for Gunnar's hand to drag him with her when she got up. "I swear we're goin' a little loopy with all this travelin', writin' and singin'."

"We are?" Gunnar mumbled. Scarlett ignored him and said their goodnights before she hit a button to shut off the brighter lights through out the cabin, leaving the kitchen/lounge area dimly light.

"Night y'all." Rayna called.

Deacon smiled. "What do we do now?"

**- NASHVILLE -**

"That was some show tonight…you were very warm and engagin'."

"You're such a liar…it was shockin'…I was shockin'."

"I've gotta say that it's good to see you in a better mood now…I was beginnin' to think I was gonna have to do like a Juliette pep talk on you." Deacon teased, pushing her off balance as they sat huddled on the lounge.

"Seriously, come on…I haven't been-"

"-Ray, you yelled at Paul." Deacon reasoned, thinking back to how she had yelled at the poor guy from craft services who'd been given the task of handing out lunch to some of the band members. "You never yell at Paul, he's the one with the power to bring us good food or bad food."

Rayna's expression changed as she thought about it. "I did?"

"All the guy was doin' was bringin' you a damn sandwich…"

"Alright fine," She mumbled. "Shut up about it, what are you tryin' to do? Bring the bad mood back on?"

Deacon exhaled and looked at her warily. Rayna was fiddling with a loose thread on her shirt. "What happened this mornin'?"

"Nothin' happened this mornin'."

"Ray."

"It was just a little girl talk." She muttered, restraining the bitterness that wanted to overwhelm her words as she answered his question without answering it. "That's all, nothin' you need to worry about."

Deacon didn't believe her but he knew that if he pushed it any further she'd explode. He settled back into the seat and let his fingers pick a gentle melody. It was one he'd been working on this past week in between shows and in the times he spent alone. He'd told himself that he'd written it for Stacey but as he sat here, he knew deep inside that he'd written it about Rayna. She was humming a little off key, smiling as they sat in the quiet company of the tune. The low light in the cabin cast warm shadows across her face and she seemed to be oblivious to the fact that he was staring. He felt something brewing inside and it terrified him because he wasn't sure he wanted to ignore it like he had so many times before.

"What's that you're playin'?" Rayna asked curiously, still staring at the ceiling.

"Just somethin'."

"Does this 'just somethin'' have lyrics?" She asked ignorantly, tugging at her hair as he continued to play.

Deacon swallowed hard, squeezing his eyes shut as he thought about how to answer. It was simple; he could lie or he could just sing. He knew that he was probably about to cross some line he shouldn't, but if he left it unsung it would do more than just haunt him tonight. Deacon sat up, fixating himself on the guitar as he brought the melody around to the beginning. Rayna turned her gaze to him, expectancy bubbling over when she realized he was going to sing for her.

"Don't it feel like rain today. Still I think we walk. You have grayed since younger days. In slower rhythm talk." He sang delicately as he nervously looked from Rayna to the guitar. He took a breath, pushing away the worries that clouded his mind. No turning back now. Again, he stole a look in her direction and continued. "You have been a stronger wind. The guiding of my right. The ever present confidant. A light in these dark eyes."

Rayna's expression changed, the lyrics calling her vulnerability to attention. She sat perfectly still; rapt in the melody he spun around them. Deacon faltered, his fingers momentarily slipping before he quickly recovered. Rayna let out a little giggle but stopped when his eyes met hers.

He opened his heart, letting the words free as he began to sing. "I want you like no one else ever could. I want you like no one else ever could. Do you?"

Rayna's breathing was shaky, her resolve rattled. Did she hear him right? This was the last thing she'd anticipated to hear when she'd asked him what he'd been playing. As he sang she was finding it hard not to crumble into the broken pieces she'd failed at putting back together. He wasn't singing for the sake of it, his every lyric was sung for her and they both knew it. Uncertain of what to do, Rayna moved uneasily, pulling one leg underneath herself as she listened.

"Don't you wait for the sky to fall…I want you like no one else ever could. I want you like no one else could. I want you like no one else ever could...Do you?" He sang gentle and sincere, his fingers playing a brief outro before they came to a stand still, leaving the parting notes to echo throughout the cabin.

Deacon swallowed hard, battling internally with his emotions as he carefully put the guitar down on the floor. She was so close to him right now that he was finding it hard to breath or see any way out of what he knew he was about to do. As he sat back up he edged closer to her, their fingers touching as she reflected his position. He looked at her surely, a certainty burning in his eyes as her breath hitched. Slowly, he began to lean towards her and he was grateful when she followed him. He lifted a hand to her cheek and their lips lingered in that moment of anticipation, patiently waiting as their hearts hammered loudly. Deacon could feel her breath on his and he felt her shiver; he couldn't do this waiting thing any longer. In one slow and definite move, Deacon closed the gap between them and Rayna gasped. The touch of her lips sent a shock through his whole body, overwhelming him completely as she returned the kiss.

Rayna leant into him willingly when he kissed her again, sighing as his lips met hers and his fingers brushed her cheek. Deacon went to pull her into his arms but Rayna's mind abruptly attacked the sweetness in the moment, thoughts of Stacey's words tumbling into her consciousness. _You may be singing love songs together, sleeping on the same tour bus and whatever else it is you're both doing…but he's __my__ boyfriend._ She went rigid as the last words rang in her head. What are you doing Rayna? He has a girlfriend, he isn't yours.

Deacon looked alarmed as he watched her trying to process whatever was going through her head. He reached out to hold her hand to get her attention and she reluctantly pulled away, uneasily standing up as she began to mumble nonsense things. Before she could convince herself to stay, Rayna was slamming the door of the master suite.

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**- FOR THE REVIEWERS OF CHAPTER FIFTEEN -**


	17. Chapter 17

**For every LOVE/HATE/HOPE & COMMENT left by readers I am thankful...The song in this chapter is called 'Same Old, Same Old – The Civil Wars' – I own nothing. PLEASE keep your LOVES/HATES/HOPES/THOUGHTS/FAVORITES/COMMENTS & WHATEVER ELSE coming...After the emotional ruin that the finale has no doubt left you in, I hope that this chapter might bring some cheer…**

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

**Two days later**

"Rayna." Deacon called, ignoring the tech guy adjusting cables and the power pack attached to his belt as he spoke to Rayna.

"Will you quit callin' my name…" She shot, smiling as someone handed her a microphone. "I'm right here you know…I'm fine, we're fine…so let's just move past this."

"Ray-"

"-So we'll put in the new song seventh…no, it was eighth wasn't it?" Rayna mumbled, ignoring him. She'd done a lot of that these last two days.

"I know when you're fine…you're not fine." He spoke sharply, reaching out to grab her free hand to get her to stop mumbling. Rayna's heart fell through the floor and she felt nauseous looking at him. Without intending to make her feel vulnerable, Deacon's concern made Rayna feel overexposed and self-conscious.

Over these last two days her mind had relived every memory, sensation and feeling that had come from the look in his eyes when he'd sung just for her and the way his lips had touched hers when he'd kissed her. She had clambered to forget it but she ended up over analysing everything. Her head echoed with the things Stacey had said about her and Deacon and the more she thought about them, the harder it got to listen to. Stacey was right. She could rationalise everything away if she wanted to, but Deacon was with Stacey. Rayna had hated walking away from him the other night, but she knew if she'd stayed they would have become a lot more than wandering hands and slow kisses. She would be lying if she said that she didn't want Deacon, but she didn't want him like this. Rayna thought she was ok with it but as the days had progressed she wasn't so sure anymore. She'd failed miserably at appearing to be confident and collected or unaffected by it all. Rayna had tried to avoid Deacon but it hadn't worked. If anything, it only encouraged him to follow after her.

Rayna exhaled, half-heartedly smiling at him as she looked at his fingers firmly holding hers. "Look, let's just get this show out of the way ok."

"About the other night…we-"

"-We can't do this, we can't talk about it. You have Stacey…she's…you just need to make that work."

"Rayna." He whispered, shifting to look her in the eye. Rayna turned her head, catching sight of Stacey standing side of stage amongst a number of other VIPs. Instinctively, Rayna dropped Deacon's hand, rolling her eyes as she turned around to wait for their cue at the side of the stage.

"What the hell are you doin' Rayna?" She breathed, closing her eyes as she tried to focus on the opening words to their first song.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Rayna laughed, shifting on the stool as she fiddled with an earpiece. "How are y'all doin' out there?"

"What about up there in the cheap seats?" Deacon called, pointing up to the roof of the arena. Screams and enthusiastic responses echoed through the arena and they smiled.

"Thank you so much to all those Juliette fans out there…We're real sorry she couldn't be with us tonight but we're hopin' to make it up to you…Alright St. Louis, I think it's time for a new one." Rayna sighed, looking over at Deacon. "What'd you think?"

Before Deacon could reply, squealing and applause thundered around them. He moved his foot down the setlist on the floor in front of him and stopped at the eighth song before he smirked, leaning over to ask her a question.

"It's so new…Deacon just asked what key it's in." Rayna smiled uneasily, letting the audience's laughter drown her nerves. "Ok, Well we um….This song is one we actually co-wrote with two _very_ talented songwriters a couple of nights ago on our tour bus in the early hours of the morning…We kinda loved it a lot and begged them to let us sing it for y'all tonight…and they agreed, so…This song is called Same Old, Same Old."

"Hopefully, this is the right key." Deacon added, gently strumming as he furrowed his brow and looked at Rayna who shrugged, content with the key he had chosen. "It is now."

"Yep."

Excitement buzzed around the arena and the audience fell into silence, awaiting the song excitedly. Rayna took a deep breath, focusing on Deacon as he moved his attention from the guitar to the microphone.

"I wanna leave you. I wanna lose us. I wanna give up, but I won't." Deacon sang surely, turning his face to look at Rayna as she hid a shudder.

"I wanna miss this. I wanna heartache. I wanna run away, but I won't." She sang softly, keeping her eyes on his.

"Do I love you? Oh, I do and I'm going to till I'm gone." They sang together, their voices' wavering as they followed one other's melodies. "But if you think that I can stay in this same old, same old."

"Well…" Rayna breathed, raising a hand to the microphone as she willed her eyes to do the talking. "I don't…I don't."

"I'm gonna break things. I'm gonna cross the line. And make you wake up 'cause you won't. I'm gonna name names, I'm gonna call us out." They sang, completely fixated on one another as they let every word and emotion wash over them. Rayna shook her head, leaning into the microphone as they continued. "I'm gonna say it if you won't."

"Do I love you? Oh I do and I'm going to till I'm gone." They both sang, pressing their hearts into the music as their minds pulled them back into the memories of that night where they had fought over the particular wording of this lyric. In a moment of spontaneity, they had sung the words they'd scribbled on paper in unison, each of their voices wrapping themselves around the melody as he had followed her lead. Scarlett and Gunnar had approved, scrambling to write it down out of fear they'd forget it while Deacon and Rayna had simply glanced at one another, exchanging smiles in secret. "But if you think that I can stay in this same old, same old…Well I don't."

Rayna's hands shook as she looked at Deacon, her heart getting the best of her. All this time she'd been trying to kill the pain, locking every emotion tightly away as she had watched on. But sitting here with Deacon; two stools, two microphones, one guitar and one song, Rayna couldn't hide. A wave of doubt pulled her under as her eyes darted around the stage but she knew she was staring the truth right in the face. She cursed herself. She could sing these words and hide behind the excuse of doing it the name of putting on a good performance, but when it came to conveying her feelings off the stage, she couldn't make a sound. She was stubborn and hypocritical, but he had been just as proud to let this all brew, looking at him now was enough to tell her that.

Rayna couldn't figure what was so difficult about ending this circle dance, the one where they tiptoed around each other's hearts. They'd come so close, yet find themselves leaving just as quickly, refusing to speak the things that they'd pushed each other to reveal. Deacon caught her eye and she straightened on the stool, a newfound resolve beginning to bubble within. Rayna didn't care anymore, if blowing up the boxes they'd carefully built to protect their hearts was what she had to do to bring this thing to an end, that's what she would do. She might have walked away the other night after he'd kissed her but she was over this, her heart was through with wondering and same old situations. Something had to give.

"Do I love you? Oh, I do and I'm going to till I'm gone." She sang softly before looking deliberately over at Deacon. He kept his eyes on her while she paused briefly before leading him into the final refrain. "But if you think that I can stay in this same old, same old…same old, same old…Well."

"I don't…" Rayna sang forcefully, her voice breaking slightly as she focused on delivering the last line. "I don't."

Captivated by the storm sneaking into Rayna's eyes, Deacon unintentionally extended the outro of the song, his mind pleading hers to let him in. He hadn't anticipated the pain that had come with her walking away from him the night, and the words she'd spun about him making things right with Stacey. He hated this, he hated this a lot. When Rayna slightly shook her head and smiled out at the applauding audience Deacon shivered. If Rayna felt anything like he did, he couldn't imagine what waited to be said once they were off the stage.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Storming down the stairs at the end of the show, Rayna smiled at the sea of people that swarmed around her and Deacon. She caught sight of Bucky, shooting him a look to warn him that she was in no mood for him to force her to be conversational. He nodded, making excuses for her as she headed for her dressing room. Infuriated, Deacon swore when Rayna refused to slow her pace when he called her name.

"Out." Deacon demanded, looking at Rayna's assistant who sat in the corner of the room. She quickly complied, looking at the ground as she ran out. Deacon spun back around to face Rayna who had turned her back on him. He put his hands on hips as he spoke. "Alright, you've got about three seconds to start talkin' because I'm about to rip open a-"

"-I can't do this anymore." Rayna called, spinning around to face him.

"Well good, because I don't even know what it is we're doin'." Deacon countered.

"You kissed me, it wasn't the other way around." Rayna said angrily.

"I know that. I was there too, remember?"

"Why would you do that?"

"Wh-?" Deacon breathed, scratching his head angrily as he changed tracks. "I try talkin' and you tell me to forget it or you walk away or whatever it is you do…What the hell am I supposed to do with that?"

"I can't….I just." She shrugged, throwing her heels off as she pulled on a pair of boots that sat next to a lounge in an attempt to hide her trembling.

"You're not makin' any sense right now-"

"-After the other night…Not the shows, not the bus, elevators, writin', singin' love songs…It's killin' me…Then there's Stacey throwin' around words…" She laughed uneasily, nodding as she looked at the ground and let the sentence finish itself. "…Hell, I'm tryin' so hard to fight this thing between us...Whatever you wanna call it. You, me, us...But it's total bull because this is all I ever think about." Rayna mumbled, shaking her head as she tripped over her words. She swore when Deacon looked at her with all sorts of confusion written on his face. Her words had sounded better in her head.

"Is this about the other day on the bus with Stacey?" He asked cautiously, unsure if his question would only add fuel to the fire they seemed to be setting.

"Look, it doesn't matter."

"Yeah, it does-"

"-No it doesn't."

"Damn it Rayna!" He yelled, stepping further into the room.

"I dunno how you did it." Rayna breathed, her voice cracking as she whispered hoarsely. "All those years when I was with Te….I dunno how you-"

"-Did what?" He said shortly, irritated by his inability to understand what was even going on. Rayna had thrown rational out the window and left him chasing after her, frantically trying to figure out what she was talking about.

Rayna's heart pounded as she felt the words she'd kept locked away slowly creeping into her veins. Her breathing became shallow, as she looked him in the eye. If there was ever a time she had wanted to run away and hold onto her tongue, it was now. Rayna shook her head, gulping down her fear. If she didn't let the words fall out now, they'd never fall at all.

"I can't just be a friend Deacon, I can't pretend that I'm ok with how we are because I'm not. The last thing I wanted to do the other night was walk away." She choked, running a hand through her hair. "I hated it…because I…"

Deacon stood silently, watching her fight with her own words as she let out a low and uneasy laugh, shifting from one foot to another.

"I love you." Rayna murmured, pouring every pent up feeling into the three small words as silence fell between them.

Open-mouthed, Deacon inhaled sharply, completely floored by her words as he let them hang in the air. He swallowed hard, mirroring her fragile expression. "What-?"

"-Deacon, are you in here-?" Stacey called, her cheery tone faltering as she turned the corner and walked into the room. She cleared her throat when they both failed to acknowledge her, tearing them from the silent stares they had fixed on one another. Deacon swore under his breath, cursing Stacey's timing as he tried to hold onto the moment.

"I just needed you to know." Rayna smiled weakly, ignoring Stacey as she broke the stare and hurried over to the dressing room counter to pick up her cell phone and bag. Tripping over her feet, Rayna awkwardly sidestepped them and walked out the door as she mumbled her goodbyes.

"Rayna, wait." Deacon called, slamming the doorframe as she hurried down the corridor.

"What was that all about?" Stacey asked, crossing her arms as he ignored her.

"What'd you say to her?"

"Excuse me?"

"On the bus. What'd you say?" He asked firmly, looking at her straight.

"It wasn't anything-"

"-I don't think it was nothin' Stace…She-"

"-Hang on, are you actually mad at me right now?" Stacey fumed, frowning as she put a hand to her hip. "I haven't seen you all day and the first thing you wanna do is get angry with me."

"I'm not mad, I'm just askin-"

"-Of course you are because this is Rayna we're talking about…and you care about her so yeah…Go ahead, ask away." Stacey shot, throwing a hand in the air.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Deacon asked furiously.

"The only person that you seem interested in these last few weeks is Rayna." She said flatly, crossing her arms.

"That's not true, Stacey I-"

"-Really? Because the last thing I feel like right now is your girlfriend."

"Rayna and I, it's complicated." Deacon replied, wiping his face before he continued.

"How about you uncomplicate it for me?" She countered, her voice level. Deacon looked at the ceiling and she swore before blowing heavily. "Deacon do you still have feelings for her?"

"What are y-"

"-Stop." She interrupted, her tone harsh as he stopped short. "…Do you still have feelings for her?"

"Yeah." He exhaled, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I thought-"

"-So now we're being honest?"

"That's not fair, you're askin' me to be honest and I sure as hell ain't gonna lie to you."

"Not fair?" Stacey pursued her lips, crossly pulling out a piece of paper as she shrugged. "Not fair is you saying yes when she asked you to sing love songs with her again, not fair is you getting on that tour bus when I asked you not to, not fair is you not being honest…Want me to keep going?-"

"-Stacey-"

"-Not fair is me finding this in your things." She choked, holding back tears as she practically threw him the letter. "I'm not sure if I'm angry or if I'm relieved."

"Where did you get this?" Deacon demanded, thinking about how Rayna had unwittingly left the letter behind on the kitchenette floor on the jet. He swore as he watched Stacey shake her head.

"She clearly still has feelings for you and I can't compete with that."

"This is an old letter, this isn't what you-" He started, holding the letter in the air.

"-Yeah, but you kept it." She countered, her tone sincere.

"Come on."

"I was never, we were never, it's always been her and I was stupid enough to think that you and I-"

"-Stacey." He breathed, his eyes dark and conflicted. She walked past him, avoiding him when he reached out for her. "Where are you goin'?"

"I'm going home." Stacey murmured, leaning against the doorframe as Deacon's eyes shot up in her direction. "I thought you and I had something…."

Deacon punched the air. In a matter of minutes, everything had coming crashing down and he had no idea what to make of the rubble. Before he could think any clearer he had run out of the dressing room, his determination set on one thing; making it to the tour bus.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Rayna's insides were numb and her knees were weak. She was desperately trying to push the memories of tonight out of her head, but found herself failing with every attempt. She'd told Deacon she loved him and then she'd run away.

"Who does that?" She muttered, rattling off expletives as she kicked loose gravel.

She shivered as the night air tore through her body and she smiled gratefully when she caught sight of the lifeless tour bus. Walking briskly, she hadn't noticed the pounding of Deacon's feet as he ran after her. She slammed the button at the front of the bus to open it, determined to get inside.

"What the hell was that?" Deacon called breathlessly, bending over to catch his breath as Rayna froze on the first step of the bus.

"I don't…um." Rayna stammered, surprise heavy on her face as she turned around.

"Are you tryin' to kill me?" He exclaimed, breathing heavily as he began to walk towards her. "What are you doin'?"

"No, I…"

"My birthday...After that night at the Bluebird…I waited for you, I thought we were...I waited and then it was like you were movin' on with your life or somethin', like you didn't want this-" He shook his head as he looked at her defencelessly.

"-Me? You went out and got a damn girlfriend!" She shrieked. "That's hardly waiting-"

"-Well not anymore I don't." He shot, ignoring the shock on Rayna's face. "So you can forget about usin' that one."

"What?"

"Stacey's gone."

"Deacon, I-"

"-You didn't call, we didn't talk, I left messages…Ray, I was there." He interjected, listing off things on his hand. "I was there waitin'."

"I know." Rayna admitted, gritting her teeth as he made no attempts to stop.

"You didn't need me." He whispered. Rayna's bottom lip trembled as she looked up at the night sky, breathing uneasily. "You gave me nothin'…then there was the other night…and today. One minute you're tellin' me to make things right with Stacey and then next you're saying-"

"-I love you." She blurted, shocking herself as the words fell out of her mouth for the second time tonight. "I love you…that's just never not been true."

Deacon's eyes shot up in her direction, disbelief running him through as he looked at her. So he hadn't been imagining it when she'd said those three words in the dressing room.

"I love you." She nodded nervously, her tone uneven as she began to stumble backwards up the steps. "That's all I've got and you can do with that what you will…but Deacon I needed you to know and that's what I did."

Gracelessly boarding the bus, Rayna nearly tripped over her feet in her attempts to avoid the possibility of rejection; surely he'd walk away after the mess she'd made of this whole situation. She squinted, her eyes adjusting to the little light the moon cast through the windows. Rayna made her self busy by trying to find the light switch.

Deacon stormed up the steps, stopping when he reached the top. His voice broke the silence, his tone certain and bold. "Hey!"

Rayna released the breath she'd been holding, promptly turning on her heel. Before she had a chance to take more than two steps towards him, Deacon had crashed into her, wrapping his arms around her waist as their lips met. They both sighed at the initial contact; overwhelmed by the longing they had supressed in the darkest parts of their being, the desire they had tried to ignore. Rayna ran her hands through his hair as he kissed her again. It was different tonight, there was no hesitating, just a need to be close to each other. He tasted so foreign, yet everything about him was familiar. The release that came with being in his arms made Rayna's head spin and she didn't want to let go. Deacon drove them backwards, kissing her single-mindedly as they stumbled over one another's feet. Holding her steady, Deacon stopped when she did. Rayna flushed, clumsily looking around at the dishevelled bunks and she slowly shook her head. Deacon smiled and swiftly pulled her against himself, catching her off guard when his lips crashed into hers again. She wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling into the kiss as she guided them into the master suite at the back of the bus. Deacon kicked the door closed and she laughed. Together, they stood at the end of her bed reacquainting themselves with one another's features, hands and mouths travelling in every which direction as they spun. Each touch reawakened things within them that they thought were long forgotten.

Rayna stumbled when Deacon pulled away, her eyes pleading and her breathing heavy as he broke the close contact. She opened her mouth to protest but Deacon put his fingers to her lips, silencing her fears as he kept his gaze firmly fixed on hers. Rayna shuddered as a burning desire crept into his eyes when they took her in, his fingers travelling up her arms to the collar of her shirt before lingering on her top button. Slowly, he began to unbutton each one, his eyes never leaving hers. Rayna blushed, shivering when the cold air met her skin and he grinned. Rayna returned the smile, slowly peeling his shirt off his shoulders as she looked up at him breathlessly. This moment was sweet, every notion and emotion they had carried had come crashing into the silence as their hearts spoke freely for the first time in a long time. Rayna smiled shyly and looked down at her feet self-consciously. Deacon's thumb brushed her chin as he tilted her head up to look into her eyes before he leant down to kiss her gently.

"You don't know how much I've missed you." Deacon whispered.

Rayna nodded eagerly, pulling him against her body to kiss him long, hard and deep. He grinned, tightly wrapping his arms around her waist before he sent them tumbling onto the bed.


	18. Chapter 18

**NB: THANKYOU every reviewer and reader...your LOVES/HATES/COMMENTS/FAVOURITE LINES/IDEAS and everything else are completely and totally appreciated. Thank you for sticking by this story...I cannot say it enough...PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/COMMENTS/FAVOURITE LINES/IDEAS/HOPES/FAVOURITES/FOLLOWS & WHATEVER ELSE coming...it means the world...that's enough waffling...enjoy chapter eighteen.**

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

"You surprised the hell out of me."

"I surprised the hell out of myself." She admitted, her fingers tracing the lines on his face as they spoke.

"Really?"

"Really." She whispered.

Deacon chuckled, pulling Rayna against himself to kiss her, as they lay tangled in the sheets, moonlight spilling through the window.

"Mmm Mmm….Hang on, Deacon no…stop!" Rayna giggled, pushing away from him suddenly as she strained to listen. Deacon smirked, tugging at the sheets that she'd pulled around herself when she sat up. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Deacon grinned, clearly too distracted by the thought of getting her into his arms again. His hands found her hips, playfully dragging her backwards as she told him to hold up. He ignored her and Rayna gave in, kissing him deeply when he finally pulled her underneath his body.

"Hello?" Bucky called, leisurely boarding the bus.

The lights through the main cabin flickered on and they both swore, reality sinking in as they remembered where they were.

"Of course you do this now, on your tour bus, right after a show…And here you were thinkin' some things change…clearly not." Rayna thought briefly, blowing hair out of face as she swore.

Before she had time to figure it out, she pushed Deacon out of the bed and she flew off her side, clumsily pulling on a pair of jeans and the sweater that had broken her fall. She looked up and giggled; Deacon was fumbling with his belt buckle as she hurried in the direction of the door.

"Forgot this feelin'…Bucky bargin' on in at the most inappropriate times." Rayna whispered.

"I haven't." Deacon muttered, shaking his head as Rayna did a double take.

"Hello? Anyone here?"

Rayna quickly ran a hand through her hair and blushed when Deacon smiled up at her breathlessly. "How do I look?"

"Do you want the real answer or the one where I say-"

"-Alright, forget I asked…Stay here." She interjected, biting her tongue as Deacon smirked.

"Well, I wasn't exactly plannin' on makin' a grand entrance."

Steeling herself, Rayna cleared her throat and focused all her energy on remaining level headed as she bounded out of the room to greet Bucky. "Hey babe...sorry I was just changin'…I didn't hear you."

Bucky whirled around and swore before recomposing himself "…I've been looking all over for you…We're ready to head off if you are."

"Ok." She smiled, clumsily leaning against the counter. Bucky made a face.

"Well, nearly everyone's ready to go…Scarlett and Gunnar will be here any minute, as for Deacon I have no idea where he is…I saw him briefly backstage after the show."

"Yeah, he was backstage wasn't he?" She mumbled.

"I thought I'd find him with you actually."

"Really? He's um…You haven't seen him since then? That's a little strange."

"Mmhmm." Bucky hummed, turning to face the steps that led off the bus. His eyes stopped on Rayna curiously. "Are you sure you haven't see him?"

"What?! Buck he's definitely not here." Rayna squeaked, crossing her arms as she tried to ignore the thought that Deacon was hiding only a few steps away. More than likely he was really enjoying listening to her become a babbling idiot in front of Bucky.

"Hmmm…I never asked if he was here I asked if you'd see him."

"Come on now, don't hmmm me it's the same thing…" She scoffed, avoiding his eyes as she continued. "You know what I meant."

"Not quite sure that I do."

"Oh please. Why don't you try callin' him again? I'm sure he shouldn't be too far away."

"If I don't find him in 20 minutes, we're leaving without him." Bucky muttered, storming off the bus.

"For his sake, I hope he hasn't gone too far." She called.

Rayna burst into fits of laughter as she told Deacon that it was safe to come out. She looked in the direction of the master suite and covered her face when Deacon appeared, bright eyed and grinning.

"Damn Buck's always havin' to be a mood killer isn't he?" Deacon muttered playfully as he sidled up next to her.

Before Rayna could respond Deacon's cell phone started buzzing and he promptly answered it. "Hey Buck!…What? No, I'm on the bus. What are you talkin' about?"

Rayna's eyes shot up at him and she shook her head, lips pursed as she waited to see how he'd spin his side of the story.

"I um…went for a long walk after the show…It's a post show ritual of mine."

"Liar." Rayna mouthed, a cheeky grin creeping onto her lips. Deacon ignored her and continued listening to Bucky.

"You were here just now? We must've missed each other…Alright alright, I dunno what you're talkin' about…Why wouldn't Rayna be here?…Ok, I'll see you in a bit." He laughed, hanging up the phone as he looked at Rayna. "People are gonna start turnin' up any minute."

"Is that right?" Rayna smirked, ignoring his fingers when they traced circles on her back as they stood side by side.

"So….Let's see if we can't just…" He murmured before he moved to stand in front of her, his eyes traveling up and down her body.

Rayna giggled, gripping the counter behind her as she smiled up at him. Deacon slowly began to lean into her and Rayna inhaled sharply, their lips nearly touching. The sound of feet running up the steps interrupted them and they quickly moved to stand on opposite sides of the bus, gracelessly busying themselves with cell phones and absent-minded staring. Deacon swore, frustration hovering over his face and Rayna's cheeks coloured different shades of pink.

"Gunnar, I told you I dunno where he is…Just because he's my uncle, doesn't mean I know what he get's up to-" Scarlett argued, stopping mid sentence when she realised they weren't alone. "Uncle Deacon, you're here! Did you know Bucky's lookin' all over for you?"

"I heard that."

**- NASHVILLE -**

Deacon lay quietly, staring up at the wooden boards that belonged to the empty bunk above his. His memory was pulling each moment that he'd stored from last night into his mind so he could relive them. The three words, the moment she had kissed him, his fingers on her skin, her touch that told him she needed him, the way her eyes had said she'd wanted him; Deacon wanted to remember it all. His head was every sort of disorderly. Had it really happened or was it just a cruel play on what his heart had always longed for the most? Over fourteen years he'd so perfected the art of knowing how to live with being disappointed by his own imaginings that he started to curse herself for thinking that anything had happened last night. The creaking of footsteps on the other side of the curtain that separated him from the outside world interrupted his reveries, excitement jolting through his every part. He hadn't heard any movement from the other two so he knew it had to be Rayna. If ever there was a time to see whether his heart was playing cruel games, it was now. Slowly, he pulled the curtain back and smiled when he saw her lazily watching the kettle boil. Rayna had been so entwined in her own thoughts that she jumped when he slowly wrapped his hands around her waist.

"Mornin'."

"Mornin'…How'd you sleep?" She hummed, leaning back into his body so that he could feel every part of her. Deacon smiled, a mix of relief and pleasure washing over his heart as they stood together. He hadn't been imagining it.

"You know what the hardest thing to do is?" He whispered, his chin resting on her shoulder as she grinned.

"What's that?"

"Focus on writin' music with Gunnar and Scarlett last night when all I wanted to do was get you alone…by yourself…just me and you."

"Oh that." Rayna nodded, touching his face as she squirmed when he kissed her neck. "Was definitely somthin' I did not care for."

"And sleepin' in my bunk when I knew you were lyin' alone in that bed of yours."

Rayna laughed, intertwining her fingers with his as they stood motionless, his arms wrapped around her tightly. "You know we need to talk about this right?"

"What's that?"

"Well for starters, what are we callin' _this_ exactly?"

Rayna felt him shifted behind her and she cringed. She didn't want to have this conversation to hurt him; she wasn't having second thoughts about last night either. She just wanted to know where they both stood, if he wanted this like she did. There were many times where he'd broken her and times where she had destroyed him, neither could claim had spent so many years tiptoeing around the feelings they had for each other that they'd tangled their emotions into a mess. They'd gotten real good at living in the middle of this mess and she was terrified that they might not know how to do anything else. Rayna smiled thoughtfully. They could do this, if they both wanted it, they could do this. After everything they'd put each other through, he was as much a part of her as she was him and there was no denying that, not if she was really honest with herself. Even when they hadn't been sharing the same bed, they were still one and the same. Now it was just a matter of figuring out where to go now that they'd finally said goodbye to this worn out merry-go-round ride they'd been on for all these years.

Rayna turned around to face him and he exhaled as he tried to find the right words. "Well it's you…and it's me, this thing, _this…_it's us…."

"I know that, but-"

"-Ray, if you're askin' me if I'm lookin' for a way out here…I'm not."

"Me neither." She whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck. He smiled, letting his fingers gently rest on her hips. "Let's just take it slow ok?"

"Slow." He nodded, resting his forehead against hers.

The air between them changed as he looked at her and it sent shivers down her spine. He shifted his position and she could feel his breath hot on hers, their lips lingering in that moment of anticipation. The tension between them mounted as he waited to see if this was as far as they were going to go, or if she'd allow him to take it further. Rayna moved her hands to his chest and Deacon looked at her mouth, deliberately leaning in to kiss her slow and deep. Rayna sighed, her body reacting to his as she pulled him closer and ran her hands through his hair. Cheek to cheek, they grinned when he pulled away, both savouring the kiss.

"That slow enough for you?" He asked, his voice husky as he whispered in her ear. She shook her head unconvincingly, smiling tenderly as they stood wrapped in one another's arms.

"Somehow I don't think that's what I meant when I said slow."

"What'd you mean?" He asked defensively, cocking an eyebrow as he teased. "I thought I did a damn good-"

"-When I say slow…I mean _slow_." She giggled. "This, us…takin' it slow."

"Ray, that was takin' it slow."

"Well, slower then." She replied, patting him on the chest as she picked up a coffee cup and walked away.

"Hang on a minute." He called, lowering his voice as he followed her past the bunks and into the master suite. Deacon's eyes darted between Rayna and the bed and he shook his head. He cleared his throat, feigning frustration. "Are you tellin' me I ain't gettin' you in my bed any time soon?"

"Seriously?" She giggled, crossing her arms. "You're askin' me that and you're niece is sleepin' just a few feet away."

"Last person I'm thinkin' of right now is Scarlett." He replied unwaveringly.

"If we're takin' it slow, if we're gonna make this work…especially while we're both on tour…no, not right now, no." She said flatly, hiding a smile as she saw his face drop.

"What does that even mean?" He asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"You do realise it's been a long time since we've done this...You and me, _together_ together...This all means you and I figurin' out what its like to get to know each other again." She smiled, walking towards him. "Without…_you know_."

Deacon pulled her into his arms. "Ray, I already know you."

Rayna laughed, stopping suddenly when they both heard the creaking of bunks. She turned to him and whispered. "I know you know me...sometimes I think you know me better than I know myself."

"But this is about more than just gettin' to know each other again isn't it?"

"I…" She breathed, struggling to formulate a logical sentence.

"Ray, I understand…You don't need to explain it…I just need to know that you're in this thing, here with me…us, this."

"I am."

"Then that's all I need for right now." He whispered.

Rayna rested her palms on his chest, welcoming the silence between them as she looked up at him. She was grateful that she didn't need to tell him how she was feeling, he already knew. There was no pressure, no need to have it all figured out, there was just now. She'd forgotten what that felt like, having someone that knew your thoughts before you knew them yourself.

She cocked her head, her tone sincere. "For now…Let's keep thing's professional when we're workin'…and in between we'll take it one day at a time. I mean I'm not goin' anywhere…and neither are you."

"Fine." He grinned, his eyes full of warmth and desire as he stared. Rayna caught her breath and she shook her head as she looked up at him.

"But you." She warned, pointing a finger. "Cannot be lookin' at me like that…especially when we get off this bus."

"Like what?"

"Like that! It's hardly what I'd call professional."

"I'm just appreciatin' what I see…You look kinda gorgeous this mornin'."

"Mmhmm, those eyes of yours are sayin' a hell of a lot more than that."

"All I'm doin' is enjoyin' the view." He shrugged.

"Come on, I'm serious…You can't be doin' that."

"Ray, I have no control over these things."

"In that case, I'm removin' myself from these arms of yours right now." She muttered, reluctantly unwrapping his arms from around her waist as she looked at the bed. "Because if I don't, we'll be sure to find a way back there and there's no way that's happenin'."

"I don't know where you'd get that idea from." He smirked.

"Babe, I know I'm not the only one thinkin' about it." She shrugged, her eyes traveling to the front of his jeans as she grinned. "Because you're body's kinda givin' you away."

"That's not fair, you're killin' me you know that?"

"Come on, let's get somethin' to eat."

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Thanks." Rayna grinned, handing her microphone over to a sound tech guy side of stage after sound check.

She had sat through back-to-back press meetings and interviews all day and her face was hurting from all the smiling. She'd drifted in and out of each conversation, musing over the fact that everyone seemed to say the same things. Every interview seemed to start with some form of congratulations regarding her CMA nomination, followed by a myriad of personal and professional questions. She'd also lost count of the number of times she'd been asked about whether she liked touring with Juliette. Needless to say, amongst it all her mind had only been stuck on one thing. Deacon. After breakfast they'd gone their separate ways and as the day had progressed Rayna had begun to realise just how much she hated it, how much she hated being apart from him. When she had seen him sitting on the stage before sound check, she had had to restrain herself from hurdling up the stairs and into his arms. They had run the setlist, exchanging subtle stares and smiles they only reserved for each other. Rayna was glad when they were finally through and by the look on Deacon's face, he was happy to have some free time, time to spend with Rayna.

"Hey."

"Hey stranger." She greeted him.

"What are you doin' now?…Because you and I have plans." Deacon grinned, steering her away from her dressing room and down a corridor.

"What'd you mean we have plans?"

"You'll find out when we get there."

"What if I wanna know now?" She asked curiously, attempting to turn around and look at him as they walked. He refused to let her stop, gently guiding her down passageways. "Deacon, where are we goin'?"

"It's a suprise."

"I hate surprises."

"I hate whinging." He countered, pulling her to a stop outside craft services. "You'd better wait here…I don't want you ruinin' things if you still haven't smoothed things over with Paul."

"Aren't you lovely!" She replied sarcastically.

Deacon disappeared and true to his word, he returned just as quickly as he'd left, a paper bag and two coffees in hand. Rayna clapped her hands in excitement, eagerly reaching out for a cup.

"Don't go drinkin' it all right now." He instructed, handing her the coffee as he began walking.

"First you drag me away from my dressing room, now you're orderin' me around when it comes to my coffee…Come on now, what on earth are we doin'?" Rayna begged, bumping into him when he grinned. "You're not gonna tell me are you?"

"Don't whinge...I know you're happy to see me."

"Deacon."

"Ray sometimes you need to learn to just shh."

"But I thought we-"

"Rayna."

"Come on Deacon…What are we-?"

"-Rayna. I'm takin' you on what some folk refer to as a _date_." Deacon interrupted, his words falling out quickly and forcefully as he spoke. "So if you wouldn't mind zippin' it, I'd appreciate it."

Rayna blushed, silence overcoming her as she followed him quietly, her eyes firmly set on him as they walked. He was taking her on a date? The last time that had happened, well she couldn't remember.

"I knew that'd shut you up." He laughed, opening a door for her as she shook her head.


	19. Chapter 19

**NB: Thank you to every reader and reviewer...biggest buckets of thanks and appreciation to you all. PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/FAVOURITE LINES/COMMENTS/THOUGHTS/HOPES/FAVOURITES/FOLLOWS & WHATEVER ELSE coming...enjoy chapter nineteen.**

* * *

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

Bounding down a set of stairs and into a section of seats, Deacon smiled at the hustle and bustle of the crew on the floor of the arena putting the final touches on the stage. Roadies were running equipment back and forth and lights and sound were flickering on and off as adjustments were made by the audio visual team. He had always looked forward to this pre-show ritual the most; coming up to the nosebleeds. After Rayna's less than subtle 'Let's take it slow' spiel, he'd spent the time thinking and wondering what that actually meant. It didn't take long for him to figure out what she needed, what he needed to do. They needed time to just be, time to rediscover, time to re-learn. Admittedly, he'd laughed when the thought of taking her on a date crossed his mind. They'd never been real good at the whole 'date' thing, she'd often been good at articulating it in the throws of an argument. It was never that he didn't want to, it was just that their crazy schedules, touring, appearances and everything in between seemed to get in the way. But today, he was determined not to let that happen. He didn't want to overdo it, he wanted it to be simple, he wanted her to like it. That was why they were here, it was the perfect place for them to start over, to begin again. Deacon looked up at Rayna when he felt her staring at him. She was still tight-lipped, her face eager and expectant.

"I know this may not be what you had in mind when it comes to a date…but I know how much this old ritual meant to you, and it means a hell of a lot to me so I thought it was kinda the right thing to do…bringin' you up here." Deacon stumbled over his words, hoping that she wouldn't hate it.

Rayna ran a hand through her hair, smiling giddily. He was so nervous, his face told her so. "I love it."

"You do?"

"Mmhmm, I always did love this old ritual of ours." Rayna nodded, hugging herself as she took in her surroundings. Her mind darted to the memories of times when these escapes had required very little talking and they'd settled for the wandering of hands and kisses. Deacon must have read her mind because he cleared his throat, bringing her attention back to him.

"We're not here for that." He chuckled, holding up the paper bag and his coffee. "You wanted slow…so I brought food and a bunch of innocent conversation starters…just you, me and some _talkin'_."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm."

"You're serious?"

"It's been a long time since we've done this datin' thing…and if you and I…If that means I have to woo you a little bit before-" He replied, watching her walk down the steps to be closer to him.

"-Woo me?" She giggled.

"Then I'll be the perfect gentleman on this date, askin' questions, listenin'…and gettin' to know you just like you wanted." He continued, ignoring the look she was giving him.

"I don't buy this for a minute." She shook her head, taking a sip of coffee as she looked out into the empty arena and then back to him. "There's no way you're interested in just comin' up here to talk…I _know _what bringin' a girl up here means, we used to be real good at this whole-"

He shrugged, opening up the paper bag as they sat down in an empty row of chairs. "-If anyone's gonna be makin' a move on anyone up here…it won't be me, I'm not here for that."

"I doubt it." She smiled, thanking him for the sandwich when he handed it to her. "Because if my memory serves correctly, you were usually the one startin' things."

"Not always."

"Mostly."

Deacon pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it as Rayna took a bite of her food. He looked at her quickly, smirking as he began to read silently. Rayna scoffed, resting her feet on the chair in front of her as she asked him if he expected her to eat alone. He shook his head and turned in his seat to face her.

"Question number one." He said sheepishly, peering over the piece of paper as Rayna rolled her eyes.

"Oh, so we're doin' this thing?"

"Hey, you wanted this whole gettin' to know each other thing...don't judge how I go about givin' you what you want."

"I didn't want a speed datin' set up." She joked.

"You can't pick and choose, take or leave me Ray." He laughed.

"Alright alright."

"What do you do for a livin'?" Deacon asked plainly.

"Seriously? Deacon come on."

"This here is a conversation starter so generally I think it means we start conversin' now."

"But you already know what I do."

"Rayna."

"Well…I'm a country singer…I write music, I record albums….and sometimes I even play shows in big arenas _just_ like this one…it's crazy really." She replied dryly, raising an eyebrow as he whistled lowly.

"You must be real good at your job hey?" He teased, flinching when she slapped him.

"That question's stupid."

"No such thing. Question number two…Favorite midnight snack?"

"Well that's…it'd have to be Reese's-"

"-Cups…I knew that one." He finished, ignoring the look she shot him. "I think the question we should be askin' is...Who is the best supplier of one's said favorite midnight snack?"

"I thought you were supposed to be lettin' me talk?" She asked, moving in her seat to try and steal a look at the paper. Deacon pulled it away from her but she snatched it out of his hand. "Give me that…Let's see what we have here…Hmm Deacon Claybourne, who is your favorite musician?...Think about this carefully."

Deacon chuckled, covering his face as she raised an eyebrow. "Well…"

"Answer please."

"I'm thinkin' carefully." He smirked.

Rayna pushed him. "You say Juliette Barnes and I swear I will kick your butt over that ledge down there."

"Well…there's this real pretty country singer…"

"Mmhmm."

"She's won like 9 Grammys, 4 CMAs and a hell of a lot other awards that are slippin' my mind right now…A piece of trivia for you, I used to be her lead guitarist _but_…she fired me, long story...And no, I'm not bitter about the whole experience, thanks for askin'." He teased, leaning away as she swore at him. "Anyway, her name's Rayna Jaymes…I dunno if you've ever heard of her, she's kinda famous."

"She sounds horrible." Rayna giggled.

"Nah, she ain't that bad." Deacon shrugged, a playfulness hovering over his features as he spoke. "I mean, she's not one of those overnight sensations like some people might think…But let me assure you, she is sensational overnight to the best of my recollection."

"She's clearly a fool for firin' you." Rayna replied, deliberately ignoring his less than subtle suggestiveness.

"Yeah well, I thought so too." Deacon said smugly, taking a bite of his sandwich. "She's definitely somethin', let me tell you that…She's definitely a _favorite_."

"Nicely done." She replied, smiling in appreciation of his answer. She ran her finger down the paper as she carefully read questions and choose her next one. "Ok, what did you think of me the first time we met?"

"First thing I thought was 'I should have showered.'." Deacon replied systematically, looking at the roof as he spoke.

"No." She drawled, sitting open-mouthed and in shock. "You did not think that."

"No seriously, I did." He shrugged, turning to face her. "When I got that call askin' if I'd be interested in standin' in for your guitarist I didn't know I'd be meetin' you in person that day…They asked me to come in and I'd just been for a run. I thought it'd be some quick meetin' with your agent or somethin' so I came straight over, I didn't bother changin', showerin', nothin'…"

Rayna laughed, recalling the day that they'd first met.

"But when I got to Edgehill I walked in and there you were…Rayna Jaymes…All kinds of pretty and a hell of a lot fresher lookin' than me…"

"Fresher lookin'?" She teased.

"It kinda took me by surprise, seein' you there." He said sincerely, acknowledging her disbelief as he reached out for her hand. "Ray, you were somethin' else let me tell you...So of course the first thing I thought was 'I should have showered'...And then we got to talkin' and it was a whole other story."

Rayna laughed. "Mmhmm."

"There was a hell of a lot of name callin', disagreements, arguin', teasin' and fightin' those two weeks I was your stand in...I'm surprised you didn't replace me."

"It wasn't so bad...I liked havin' someone around who wasn't tellin' me what everyone thought I wanted to hear."

"Well, I must've done somethin' right because you never did ask your old guitarist to come back."

"Now that I think about it, you did kinda smell." She laughed, shaking her head in disbelief as she put the pieces together. Deacon saw this as an opportunity to take advantage of her amazement and grabbed the paper out of her hand. Rayna swore, but complied, taking a bite of her sandwich as his eyes scrolled down the paper.

"My turn, are you ready for this?"

"No, not really."

"First boyfriend?" Deacon asked curiously, overlooking the fact that he already knew the answer. He had been her first actual boyfriend.

Rayna smiled coyly, shaking her head. "You're riggin' this whole thing I swear."

"That's not the answer I'm lookin' for."

"Where'd you even get these questions from?" She exclaimed.

He looked at her mischievously, leaning back into his chair. "Well it was a group effort."

"What'd you mean a group effort?"

"As band manager...in a break I got all the guys, well I...it was a group effort ok, answer time. Go."

"Deacon!" She exclaimed, leaning into him as she laughed. "Come on, you already know the answer….What'd you want me to say? That you were my first because you and I both know you were."

"I guess there's no need to ask the next question then." Deacon offered unconsciously, looking at the paper. "Because clearly the answer would be me…I would've been your first kiss and that was somethin-"

Rayna laughed, patting him on the arm lightly as he stopped short. "-Actually, no."

"What'd you mean?"

"Sixth grade. His name was Stephen." Rayna recalled, twirling her hair as she spoke. "Kissed me behind the toilet block at lunchtime…It was so romantic."

"Really?" Deacon asked, crossing his arms as he pretended to be annoyed.

Rayna sat quietly in her seat, grinning as she watched him look off into the distance. She'd forgotten what it was like to be able to spend time with him without feeling guilty for wanting to, she'd forgotten the exhilaration that came with catching the way he looked at her, she'd forgotten a lot of things about what it meant to be them, both of them together. But sitting here now in the quiet, Rayna felt like she was beginning to breathe again. Being here with Deacon was helping bring out all the pieces of herself that she'd hidden away, all the pieces of herself that included him, and she liked the way that felt. Suddenly overwhelmed by a longing and desire to be closer to him, Rayna turned in her seat so that she was facing him fully. Deacon hadn't noticed, he was still consumed with his own thoughts and his sandwich. Rayna slowly trailed her fingers up his arm, smiling wildly as he raised an eyebrow.

"But you know." She said lowly, cocking her head. "I never did kiss him like this."

Rayna leant over the seat, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pulled his lips to hers. She kissed him long and passionately, both their tongues finding each other quickly as a moan escaped Deacon's mouth. He pulled away to laugh, resting his forehead against hers.

"Told you it wouldn't be me makin' the first move." Deacon beamed, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her face. "I was all for conversations and food-"

"-Shut up." She scoffed, quickly removing her arms from around his neck to sit back in her chair.

They both sat quietly for a moment before they simultaneously fell fits of laughter.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Deacon lay quietly in the dark, willing himself to go to sleep as he lay in his bunk. Tonight was the last night of the leg of the tour before Juliette and Liam would re-join them. The five shows had gone as quick as they'd come around, but so much had happened in that short space of time that Deacon didn't really know what to think of it all. He was struggling not to dwell on tomorrow and what would happen once they returned to their normal schedules. What did this mean for Rayna and him? How was it going to work? Deacon kicked and pulled at his sheets, unable to get comfortable. The rattling of the curtains that hung across the bunk startled him as they slowly got pulled back. The dim cabin lights defined Rayna's slim figure as she looked down at him, nervously stepping from one foot to the other. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt, and her hair was giving away the signs of her sleeplessness as it fell messily around her face. Deacon fumbled to prop himself up, grinning wildly as he waited for her to speak.

"Well, are you gonna make me stand out here?" Rayna whispered, quickly looking back at the other occupied bunks before she turned around and spoke even softer. "Or are you gonna let me in?...I'm freezin'."

Still surprised, Deacon scrabbled to pull back the covers and made room for her next to him. Rayna quickly crawled into the bed, shivering as she inched closer to him in an attempt to get warm as they lay face to face. They didn't speak for a few moments; they just looked at one another wonderingly, content to lay in silence.

"Well…" Deacon smirked, wrapping his arms around her waist as she grinned at him. "This is definitely unexpected."

"What?" She whispered, knowing exactly what he was referring to.

"You know what I'm talkin' about." He laughed, his fingers drawing lazy circles on her lower back.

"Mmm Mmm." She shook her head, giggling as Deacon groaned and threw his head back.

"What then, could you possibly want comin' on in here at this time of night?"

"I'm sorry."

"Here I was thinkin' we'd be finishin' off what _you_ started in the cheap seats."

"I…Deacon, I couldn't sleep thinkin' about tomorrow and you know, things goin' back to normal…You bein' on Juliette's tour…Liam bein' on mine."

"Me too." He agreed.

"What happens tomorrow when…everythin' changes."

"I've waited fourteen years for this Ray…I'm not about to let either of them come on back and change a damn thing."

"Fourteen years." She said thoughtfully, acknowledging that she felt the same way. They had waited fourteen years for this, she was being stupid.

"Exactly, so stop worryin'." He replied confidently, kissing her on the forehead as she nodded her head.

"I was freezin'." She shivered.

"I can think of a few ways to warm you up. You, me-" He spoke lowly and chuckled when Rayna covered his mouth with her hand to cut him off. He ignored her and pulled her body against his and she let out an involuntary moan before quickly pushing him away with her knees.

"I just wanna sleep." Rayna whispered, wriggling as his fingers teased her. "I swear."

Deacon pushed her hand off his mouth and let out an exasperated sigh. He lifted up the covers, catching a glimpse of her form before she pulled the blankets back down. "It's fine for you to say that but you dunno what you're doin' to me right now."

"I'm sorry…I just needed, I couldn't sleep in there all alone…Look, I can leave-"

"-No, don't be stupid…It's just, I mean you're lyin' in my bed and look at what you're wearin'? Or lack there of…Come on Ray."

"I'll help us both out by turnin' over and goin' to sleep now." She replied, disregarding his whinging.

"So really you're just usin' me…and I get nothin' in return. What about today?"

"Thank you." She whispered, her tone sincere as her fingers brushing his chin before she leant in and kissed him. She'd loved everything about today, their date and their getting to know each other, even if the questions had been rigged. "I mean it, thank you for today."

Deacon reached for her, his fingers instinctively tangling themselves in her hair as he moved to kiss her again. She kissed him quickly and turned over, leaving Deacon muttering expletives as she giggled. He settled for wrapping his arms around her waist and her feet found his as they got comfortable. Deacon kissed her cheek and Rayna bit her lip when she felt his hands begin to wander downward.

"No funny business." She chortled, moving his hands back up to her waist.

Deacon pulled her closer and the sensation of his body against hers made her shudder. He smirked, feeling her react to him. "Well…at least somethin' good came out of my wooin' you today."

Rayna shifted against him, turning her head to look up at his face. "What's that?"

"I got you in my bed."


	20. Chapter 20

**NB: Readers and Reviewers...I cannot thank each of you enough. This chapter is a little long, I couldn't find a place where I wanted to spilt it so I just kept it all together...somehow I am hoping you don't mind...One of the biggest things about writing for me is finding songs that fit the characters, the story and everything in between...I love being able to put the music into the story because I think it's such a big part of what Nashville is all about...anyway, the song in this chapter is "I'm On Fire - Bruce Springsteen" however, I had the cover by Sara Bareilles & Ben Abraham (Youtube it) in mind when I wrote this chapter...There's a lot in store for coming chapters...but for now, enjoy chapter twenty...**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

"You want one?" Deacon asked casually, holding up a coffee mug as Rayna threw her hair up into a messy ponytail. She looked bright and well rested, everything he wasn't. Much to his disappointment, after she'd climbed into bed with him she'd gone straight to sleep. He'd spent a good portion of the night watching her as she'd lay happily nestled against him. He knew that he'd regret it in the morning, not forcing himself to go to sleep sooner, but he couldn't help it no matter how hard he tried. Deacon smiled as he thought about it.

"That'd be so great." She grinned, bumping his hip as they stood at the kitchenette counter in the bus. "I think I'm likin' you a lot right now."

"Is that right?"

"Mmhmm."

"How much are you likin' me?" He smirked, pouring the jug.

Rayna shrugged, mumbling several words before she giggled and leant towards him. Deacon smiled and turned to face her as his lips moved to meet hers. Scarlett came crashing out of the bathroom, sending Deacon and Rayna flying as she cried that the door needed fixing.

"Mornin'!" Scarlett chirped, bounding past them as she grabbed her VIP pass off the counter. "You haven't seen Gunnar have you? He said he'd wait for me before he headed out to get breakfast."

"Nope, sorry." Deacon replied, clearing his throat as he tried to supress a smile.

"Oh ok…Well, are you headed over that way, because I can wait-"

"-We actually have to meet for breakfast with Liam and Juliette this mornin'." Rayna commented. "Discuss schedules and tour details."

"And Buck too…don't forget him." Deacon added.

"Which reminds me…we might wanna think about goin' soon…" Rayna said slowly, taking a sip of coffee after she spoke.

"Alright well I'll see y'all later then." Scarlett hummed, leisurely walking down the steps and off the bus. Deacon cocked an eyebrow and Rayna shoved him off balance.

"Don't, I know you're about to make some smart comment about Scarlett walkin'-" Rayna warned.

"-I'm just waitin' to see how much you like me." He defended, pulling her into his arms. Rayna nodded, gladly leaning into his body as she kissed him deliberately. He leant his forehead against hers. "You must like me a lot."

"You need to get dressed." She smiled, kissing him quickly. "Because as much as I don't wanna go, we need to go."

"What'd you mean?" Deacon replied huskily. He kissed her neck and chuckled when she let out a small gasp. "I'm ready to go."

"You're not serious?..." She frowned, pulling away slightly to look at his face. Deacon shrugged. "Alright no, babe that shirt…you can't…."

"Rayna, I can dress myself fine-"

"-Deacon it doesn't-" She pushed, stopping mid sentence as her cell phone started to buzz angrily on the counter top. She grinned, checking the caller ID before she looked up at Deacon. "It's Maddie and Daphne, they're video callin' me."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm." She nodded, fingers hovering above the answer button. Deacon made no attempt to unwrap himself from her and Rayna tilted her head. "Well, obviously you're gonna need to let go of me now."

"Rayna, you're-"

"-Over there…_far_ away from me." Rayna laughed, pushing him playfully.

"Fine." He said flatly, pretending to be offended as he stepped away from her and walked over to his bunk.

"While you're at it…change that shirt." She called as she leant against the counter and answered the video call. "Hey girls! What's up!?"

"Hi Mom!" They replied in unison.

"How y'all doin'? I want all the details."

"We're good." Daphne smiled. "I lost a tooth."

"Seriously?! That's incredible." Rayna exclaimed, ignoring the teasing look that had crept onto Deacon's face as he watched her.

Maddie leant over Daphne and squinted. "Mom, where are you?"

"On the bus." Rayna replied distractedly, watching Deacon out of the corner of her eye. Rayna swore under her breath as she smiled at the girls. Deacon had taken it upon himself to not only change his shirt, but his whole outfit. He was standing in the corridor between the bunks in nothing but his briefs. Deacon looked up casually, knowing full well what he was doing to Rayna as he caught her eye. Rayna blushed, gulping as she tried to focus on the cell phone screen.

"Hmm?"

"The tour bus?" Maddie repeated.

"Yeah it is."

"Can you show us what it looks like inside?" Daphne pleaded.

Rayna hid the horror on her face, her eyes darting up to see where Deacon was. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him stumbling around as he tried to pull on a pair of jeans. Rayna began to guide the cell phone around the room, cleverly sidestepping and moving in directions that prevented the girls from seeing Deacon as he finished clothing himself. She let out a little giggle when Deacon collapsed onto the lounge.

"And that's about it." Rayna grinned, pulling the phone around to face her again.

"Wow.." Maddie smiled.

"Do you get that whole bus to yourself?" Daphne asked innocently.

"Are you kiddin'? Of course she doesn't…Where else do you think the band is gonna sleep when they're travellin'? Duh." Maddie scoffed.

"Well," Rayna intervened, looking over at Deacon who was smirking as he drank his coffee. "Not all of my band sleep on this bus with me…Bucky doesn't even sleep here …but a few of them do."

"That's mean…Where do you make Uncle Bucky sleep?" Daphne cocked her head and Rayna laughed.

Rayna cleared her throat to get Deacon's attention. He looked up instantly. "Girls, can you hold on one second."

"Ok." They drawled, giggling amongst themselves as Rayna turned the camera away from herself.

"Do you wanna say hi?" She mouthed to Deacon, pointing at the cell phone. He asked if she was sure and she nodded happily. Rayna turned the camera back around to face her as she walked back into the lounge area. "You still there?"

"We're still here." They replied.

"Guess who wants to say hi?" She grinned. Rayna was so fixated on listening to their guesses that she didn't even notice Deacon come up behind her and into the camera frame.

"Deacon!" Daphne squealed. Rayna jumped, subtly edging her hips away from his when he let his hands gently tug at her waist.

"Hey darlin'!" Deacon grinned, looking over Rayna's shoulder at the cell phone.

"What are you doin' on my Mom's bus? Do you sleep on there?…because Uncle Bucky doesn't." Daphne asked curiously. They both stifled giggles.

"Yeah, what are you doin' on my bus Deacon?" Rayna asked exasperatedly as she turned her head to look at him. He raised an eyebrow and she quickly drove her heel into his toes to stop him from answering.

"He can't sleep there Daph…Deacon, I thought you worked for Juliette?" Maddie asked. "Not my Mom."

"I do, me and your Momma are about to go have breakfast with Juliette right now."

"Oh."

"Mom, when can we come out on tour again?" Daphne sighed. "It's _so boring_ here."

"Yeah, we really wanna come, please." Maddie eagerly joined her. "Please, we won't get in your way."

"Yeah Mom, when can they come out on tour again?" Deacon teased, ignoring Rayna as she drove her heel into his toes again.

"Look girls, we'll talk about it later..." Rayna explained, smiling cheerfully. "…But hopefully y'all can come on out soon ok?"

Deacon laughed as he watched the exchange between Mother and daughters take place. Both girls whinged but eventually came around to accepting that their Mother wasn't going to budge, no matter how many sweet smiles or pretty excuses they gave.

"Alright well, I'm lookin' at the time and thinkin' you two should be almost out the door and on your way to school."

"Probably." Daphne nodded cheekily.

"That's what I thought…and by the looks of it, you're not even dressed yet." Rayna replied, raising an eyebrow. "Daphne Conrad."

"Alright alright, we're going." Daphne grumbled.

"Hey y'all keep practisin'…hopefully we can convince your Mom to let you come on out soon." Deacon interrupted. Rayna smiled up at him as the girls squealed in excitement. "Bye girls."

"Bye Deacon."

"Girls, I love you…!" Rayna exclaimed.

"We love you too."

"Bye."

Rayna shut off the cell phone and Deacon wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into himself as they stood in the middle of the bus. She shivered when she felt him breathing on her neck.

"You…are very lucky they didn't see the little show you put on just before." She squeaked.

"I dunno what you're talkin' about."

"Mmhmm, strippin' off while I'm video chattin' with my girls…sure was bold of you."

"That _little show_ wasn't for them Ray…"

Rayna laughed, shaking her head incessantly as he kissed her on the cheek. "You're makin' things real difficult."

"You wanted me to change, so I did, I just had a little fun along the way." Deacon shrugged, turning her around to face him. Rayna scoffed. "I saw your face, you can't tell me you didn't like what you saw."

She pursed her lips, running a hand through her hair as she spoke. "That's one way of puttin' it."

"Well, you were gettin' all hot-"

"-Come on." Rayna interjected, pulling him by the hand. "Last thing I want is Juliette yellin' about us bein' late on her first day back."

"I'm comin'."

"And Deacon, one word…" She muttered, walking down the steps. "_Professional_…got it?"

**- NASHVILLE -**

"So we'll be going from Atlanta to D.C., Philly, Boston and then Cleveland and Las Vegas…In between D.C. and Philly we're back in Nashville for the CMA's, there'll be a few personal days in there too." Bucky said matter-of-factly, running his fingers down the paper that sat in front of him. "Is that alright with everyone?"

"Even if it wasn't, I'm guessing we don't get a choice about what we do and don't do." Liam joked, waving over a waitress as he continued. "Where in that schedule is there time to be working on the record?"

"You're not even back two minutes and you're giving me a headache." Bucky muttered. Everyone around the table laughed and Bucky swore.

"Admit it, you've missed me Bucky." Liam grinned.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say, you definitely weren't missed." Juliette said sarcastically.

"Is that supposed to offend me?" He challenged.

"Isn't it great to have everyone back together again." Rayna interjected cheerfully, speaking over the bickering. Deacon smiled at her and she blushed, quickly berating her body's response as she cleared her throat.

"How you work with him, I do not know." Juliette muttered as she drove a fork into the French toast on her plate. "Anyway, what'd I miss while I was gone? Anythin' interestin' happen?"

Deacon looked at Rayna knowingly before turning his attention to Juliette, speaking gently. "How's your Mom Juliette?"

Juliette shot him a look, before swallowing her food. "What are you, my therapist? She's fine…she's doin' a lot better but I'd appreciate not talkin' about it…Right now, I wanna be focusin' on the tour and my music. I know I've missed a lot and I wanna be concentratin' on that."

"Ok." He sighed, shifting in his seat as he watched her from across the table. Liam went to open his mouth but Rayna shook her head and he ate his words.

"Five shows over a week and a half…just like we've been doin' these last few months…only difference is you weren't playin' the shows with me…I have to say it was a little weird actually." Rayna tried, thanking a waiter when they brought her a fresh cup of coffee.

"Don't forget you had my lead guitarist playin' for your shows too…How'd that turn out?" Juliette asked quirkily, suddenly interested in her choice of conversation.

"Yeah, how'd that turn out?" Liam smirked, knowing full well that Rayna would hate it. "What did you get up to?"

Rayna levelled her eyes as she rested her elbows on the table, ignoring Deacon as he tried to keep a straight face. "You know, it was good pullin' out some of the older stuff for a bit of a change. I think it turned out fine, thanks to Bucky organisin' everythin'."

"I think it was a lot of fun." Deacon nodded.

"Sure was." She smiled, looking over at him briefly.

"That's nice." Juliette said sweetly. "But I hope y'all know, I'm takin' my lead guitarist back because I sure as hell ain't workin' with yours."

"I'm not a piece of meat." Deacon joked.

"Ok, before we start a World War III…Let me remind everyone we're in a public place and it is way too early to be dealing with diva dips and dramas…As of today, we are all aware that band arrangements will be returning to what they were so can we just enjoy a drama free breakfast _please_?" Bucky said smoothly, silencing everyone's tongues as they looked at him, taken aback by his comment. Liam and Juliette pulled out their cell phones and became fixated on the lit up screens. Deacon and Rayna sat awkwardly in the silence, avoiding Bucky's eye contact.

"You gonna eat that?" Deacon asked, pointing at Rayna's plate of food.

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"You've got food on your plate…" Rayna smiled, gesturing to his plate. "Eat your own…I'm starvin'."

"I don't feel like bacon and eggs, I want pancakes…and yours are lookin' pretty good to me."

"That's nice, but you're gonna have to find someone else to steal food off of." She countered.

Deacon leant over her, fork in hand as he stabbed it into a pancake and plonked it on his own plate. Rayna swore, slapping his arm as they fell into hysterics.

"So you're makin' this another orange juice thing, I see how it is." Rayna chuckled, shaking her head.

"That's exactly what I'm makin' it."

"Fine." She replied, grabbing both of their plates and switching them. "Two can play at this game…If you're gonna be stealin' my food we may as well switch breakfasts."

Deacon shook his head. "Doesn't taste nearly as good if you do that…switch them back."

"Did we miss somethin' here?" Juliette asked slowly, looking over her phone as she spoke. Deacon and Rayna had clearly been oblivious to their captive and now very curious audience.

"What do you mean?" Rayna replied, smiling when Deacon switched the plates back while she was looking at Juliette.

"You both seem a lot _friendlier_ since the last time we were together." Liam shrugged.

"You're funny." Rayna replied, keeping her tone level as she tried to hide the smile that wanted to creep onto her lips.

"I'm not trying to be funny."

"Come on, we're always been friends."

"Is that all?" Liam grinned, ignoring the look she shot him as he took a sip of coffee.

"As nice as this is, I just remembered I've got somewhere to be." Rayna sighed, scrunching up her napkin before throwing it on the plate. "But I'll see y'all later…Bucky, I'll call you."

Rayna stood up and stole a look at Deacon before she made a swift exit. Liam let out a low blow and Juliette laughed.

"I told Scarlett I'd meet her for coffee." Deacon offered as he checked his cell phone for the time. "Right about now, so I best be goin' too."

"We need to catch up later though, run through some songs before sound check." Juliette added, taking a drink of water.

"Yep. Call me when you figure out when you wanna do it." Deacon nodded before quickly turning on his heel to leave.

"Guess they weren't as hungry as they said they were." Liam joked, looking over at the empty seats and the close to full plates of food.

"I dunno what happened while we were away…" Juliette observed, crossing her arms as she spoke. "But that was definitely not normal."

"Nope. There weren't any longing looks, lingering gestures."

"No painfully awkward one-liners loaded with a ton of ulterior meaning."

"I'm just gonna put it out there." Liam smiled. "Do you think that they're, you know…"

"Really? We're back here again?" Bucky scoffed, bringing attention to himself as the other two looked over blankly. "All you ever wanna discuss is those two….don't y'all have anything better to do?"

"We spend every day with each other…its kind of hard not talk about them…besides, we're all thinking it." Liam defended as Bucky shushed him.

Juliette looked off in the direction that both Deacon and Rayna had headed. "If it hasn't already happened…Give it time…"

**- NASHVILLE -**

"What are you doin' here?" Deacon called, walking up the steps and onto the stage. "I haven't seen you all day."

"Well, it was my sound check so I technically had to be here." Rayna smirked, adjusting the microphone stand.

"Oh yeah…" He replied, feigning confusion.

"Why are you here? Weren't you payin' attention to Buck this mornin'?...Juliette's your boss, not me."

"She might be but she's not the pretty singer I kinda like spendin' my free time with."

"I've gotta say Deacon, that's the worst line you've ever pulled." Rayna laughed, pushing him away as he stepped into her personal space. Deacon looked around, his eyes seeking out movement. "Everyone's gone, if that's what you're wonderin'."

"Actually." He replied happily, putting his guitar case on the stage to open it. "I was wonderin' if you'd sing with me."

"Deacon, we've spent the last week and a half singin' together...last thing I feel like doin' right now singin'."

"I know…but it's the least you could do." He shrugged, pulling a guitar strap over his head as his tone became playful. "Considerin' what you put me through last night. I hardly got any sleep with you layin' so close to me, in my bunk, in my arms, in nothing but a t-shirt…Mmhmm I noticed."

"You're blackmailin' me?" She giggled, crossing her arms as he walked towards her.

"Is it workin'?"

"Fine..."

"There's this one song that kept runnin' around in my head last night…kind of perfect for what I'm feelin' right about now actually." He smiled widely.

"Mmhmm…and the song is?"

Deacon began to strum a steady melody, his eyes fixed on hers as he played. Rayna blushed, shaking her head as she realised what she'd walked into. "You know what I'm playin'…"

"Mmm Mmm, I know where this song always goes and it's not gonna work." She replied coyly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as he continued to play. "Deacon, I know what it leads to."

"Who says it has to go anywhere?" Deacon grinned. He looked down at his guitar, his fingers effortlessly moving across the strings as he kept the rhythm. He turned his attention back to Rayna and began singing. "Hey little girl is your Daddy home? Did he go away and leave you all alone. Oh I got a bad desire. Oh, I'm on fire."

Rayna flushed, as Deacon's eyes grew dark. He was clever; she'd give him that, backing her into a corner when she had no choice but to sing with him. He knew that it was things like this that brought her completely undone. She found it hard to concentrate on anything but him, his voice and the way he was looking at her, the lyrics, everything. Rayna shivered just thinking about it and she hugged herself, joining him as they sang together. "Tell me now baby is he good to you? Can he do to you the things that I do? Oh, I can take you higher. Oh, I'm on fire."

Deacon swayed in time with the melody, looking at her as she confidently stepped into the next verse, her eyes on his as she wandered around him. "Sometimes it's like someone took a knife baby, edgy and dull and cut a six inch valley through the middle of my soul, my soul."

The pair didn't seem to notice the crowd they had attracted; band, crew, assistants and roadies alike. Everyone had filtered in, all drawn to the raw sound and obvious attraction that was bubbling on the stage. However, there was a hush over the arena for fear that they were intruding.

Deacon and Rayna turned to one another and sang wholeheartedly. "At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet and a freight train runnin' through the middle of my head. Only you can cool my desire. Oh, I'm on fire."

"Again." He whispered, stepping closer as she smiled.

"Oh, I'm on fire." Rayna sang, clutching her hands behind her back as she looked up at him seductively.

"Oh, I'm on fire." He sang, matching her stare.

"I'm on fire." They sang, drawing out the last line as they watched one another and Deacon brought the tempo right down. "Oh….I'm on fire."

The tension in the room was thick and every one could feel it, especially Deacon and Rayna. Her breathing was heavy and his skin was burning with the need to be close to her. Suddenly, the arena erupted into wolf whistles and applause, startling the pair as they turned their gaze to those standing around them. Rayna blushed, tugging at her sweater in an attempt to cool down. Deacon returned his focus to her and smiled when she shushed everyone clumsily and walked off the stage. She turned around to see if Deacon was following her and he promptly packed up his guitar and ran down the steps.

"Y'all are doin' a great job!" Rayna exclaimed, thumbs up at the crew as she walked backwards. She was relieved when they bought her false enthusiasm and returned to their to work.

Walking out the exit closest to the stage, she struggled not to break into a run. Rayna's eyes darted in all directions as she searched for one thing, privacy. She spotted a door and bolted in its direction, dragging a perplexed Deacon with her. Rayna threw her weight against the door and opened it, eagerly stumbling into a small practise room.

"Ray, what-" Deacon tried, stopping suddenly when Rayna shut the door and wrapped her arms around his neck, quickly pulling his lips to hers. She kissed him strongly, taking him by surprise as he unthinkingly kissed her back. Deacon pulled away, his breathing heavy as he looked into her eyes.

"Tell me that you're not messin' with me right now…" He said huskily, still unsure as to what was going on.

"Trust me." Rayna breathed, her eyes filled with desire. "When I say I'm not messin' with you…"

Those words were all Deacon needed. Without warning, he walked them backwards and sent her crashing into the shelves at the back of the room as he kissed her passionately. Rayna giggled, intertwining her fingers with his as he held her hands above her head. Deacon smiled into the kiss when she sighed, her lips parting as their tongues found each other. His hands wandered up and down her body and ultimately found their way under the bottom of her sweater, teasing her as his fingers met her skin. He slowed the pace, drawing out each touch and kiss. Rayna frowned. She longed to feel the rush, his skin against hers, she wanted him and she wanted him now. That's all she was thinking about, that's all she'd been thinking about these last few days and she knew he'd been thinking it too. She pulled him close and kissed him deep.

"I thought we were taking things slow." He grinned, trailing his fingers up her arms.

"Yeah well, here's the thing Deacon…a little singsong like that one…" She giggled, pointing in the direction of the main auditorium. "It only leads to one thing…."

"Is that right?"

"Mmhmm…and somehow I don't think slows gonna cut it." Rayna nodded, barely managing to get the words out before his mouth collided with hers again.

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******PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/COMMENTS/HOPES/FAVOURITES/FOLLOWS/THOU GHTS AND WHATEVER ELSE COMING...I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE READING THIS AT ALL...**


	21. Chapter 21

**NB: Thanks be to each of you who have reviewed, left kind words, followed and stood by this story...The scene at the hotel after dinner is one I had in my head way back before I'd begun writing BRAVE FACE, I just had no idea where it would fit so I am so so happy that it found a place in this story..The song in this chapter is 'Something In The Water - Brooke Fraser' - I own nothing, all copyright to the artist...********PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/COMMENTS/HOPES/FAVOURITES/FOLLOWS/PMS/ THOUGHTS AND WHATEVER ELSE COMING...I REALLY APPRECIATE IT and I'm so grateful that you're reading this at all...With that being said, enjoy chapter twenty one...**

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**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

**Three days later…**

Wandering around the kitchen in the penthouse, Deacon swore when he couldn't find where the cups were kept. He took a step backwards so he could get a look into the master bedroom. Rayna was still asleep, intertwined with blankets and sheets. Deacon had woken up shivering, but he didn't mind. He'd waited fourteen years for this day, for these moments where he'd freely give anything for her just because that's what you do when you love someone, when your in a relationship with someone. Is this what this was? A relationship? He guessed it was even though they hadn't really said too much about it. The feeling was bittersweet. They had missed out on so many years and so many memories, Deacon swallowed hard as his mind got stuck thinking about it. But looking at her now, hair falling in every which direction as she slept, he smiled. He'd rather be with her now then not at all because if he was honest, she was the only one he'd ever really loved. Rayna had been the only one he'd ever really wanted. Deacon poured a coffee and walked over to the glass window, marvelling at the sunlight that had begun to dance across the city as it said good morning. He welcomed the arms that wrapped themselves around his waist as he smiled.

"I didn't mean to wake you." He whispered.

"You didn't." Rayna assured him, unwrapping her arms from his body before she tiptoed to stand in front of him. "But I was wonderin' where you'd gotten to…I woke up and thought that..."

"Thought what?"

She took his coffee out of his hands and took a sip as she looked up at him. "I thought that maybe this was all some crazy dream that I'd made up in my head…It wouldn't be the first time somethin' like that has happened."

He leant down and kissed her slow and certain, his fingers skirting along the bottom of the button up shirt she was wearing.

"Ok, maybe not a dream." Rayna whispered breathily, turning around to look out at the skyline as she leant into Deacon.

"No, not a dream."

"You know what's funny?"

"What?"

"You and I are real bad at this whole takin' it slow thing." She laughed.

"Well, if we're lookin' at it from my perspective…you and I have 'taken it slow' for fourteen years…that's a fair effort if you ask me." Deacon mused, resting his chin on her head as they looked out at the glowing horizon together. "And it hardly helps that we're spendin' our days apart again...Makes me kinda thankful for moments like this...where there are no interruptions, no nieces, no Liam or Juliette... just hotel rooms, you, me and lot's of _not takin' it so slow_…"

"Poor Scarlett and Gunnar."

"Poor Scarlett and Gunnar?...Pretty sure they're more than ok with sleepin' in hotel rooms Rayna."

Rayna squirmed as he pulled her hard against himself, kissing her neck as she giggled. She tried swatting his hands away as they found their way to her buttons, it didn't work. He began unbuttoning her shirt, humming lowly in her ear as his fingers moved under the fabric. Rayna shuddered, she knew where this was going and she needed to get a few more words in before they made their way back to the bedroom. "Babe, I hate to be a mood killer."

Deacon groaned, clearly frustrated that she was stopping his less than subtle advances. Reluctantly, he removed his hands from her body and rested them on his head.

"Whoa…" She exclaimed, patting his chest as he squeezed his eyes shut. "Settle…I just need you and me to be serious for a second, just a second….You think you can handle that?"

"Can you handle that?" He joked.

"Babe." She sighed.

"Sorry, I'm listenin' I am…." He refocused, investing as much enthusiasm as he could muster into his tone as he tore his eyes away from her bare legs.

"I'm flyin' the girls out today." She said uncertainly, gauging how he was with idea by the look on his face.

"Really?" He smiled, pulling her into his arms. "That's great."

"You're ok with it? Because if you're not I can hold off on bringin' them out…It's just that they've been bustin' to come and Tandy's got a little free time in that schedule of hers and I thought if she brings them out now that then it'd work because we could all fly home together for the CMA's and that break before the next lot of shows." Rayna blurted out quickly, ignoring him as he kissed her over and over on her cheeks as she spoke.

"I don't see why you're askin' me if I'm ok with this."

"Well, I thought that it's the right thing to do…you know, considerin' that we're together now."

"We're together?" Deacon grinned.

"Unless we're not." Rayna panicked, realising that she'd spoken without thinking. "We don't have to call it that…I was speakin' without thinkin'. I do that a hell of a lot-"

"-I like that. We're together." He repeated lowly, kissing her slowly before she burst out laughing.

"You know, I'm a Momma now…I've got kids, and you know all the mundane things that aren't really the stuff that romance is made of…I don't want you to think you-"

"-Ray, I love your kids." He interjected, smiling warmly as she stopped to listen. "All that mundane stuff…That's pretty much just what I've been waiting for."

She paused briefly, grinning as she looked up at him. "So you're fine with this?"

"More than fine."

"Ok, but…" She tried deliberately, chuckling as he grimaced. "That means with the girls here, we can't be doin' this…wanderin' round hotels, half dressed and whatever you wanna call it. You've gotta stay in your own room. I've gotta stay in mine…I don't wanna freak them out."

"I wouldn't have expected to be stayin' here Ray…and I don't see how it's any different to what we've been doin' anyway…It's not exactly like the world knows that you and I are, you know…" He shrugged.

"_Together_." She laughed.

"Rayna it's fine."

"I just wanna get the girls used to the idea of having you around professionally _and_ privately before we let the world in on it too."

"How long are they here for?" He asked.

"Four days." Rayna replied matter-of-factly.

"Four days."

"Mmhmm, I've gotta get goin' soon. They're gettin' an early flight out."

"Well then, if that's the case." Deacon murmured playfully, putting his cup down on the coffee table. "And I don't get to be sleepin' in your bed for a few nights..."

Rayna looked at him curiously, stepping from one foot to the other as she watched him and tried to figure out what was going through his head.

Deacon walked towards her quickly, unexpectedly picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder. "We'd better make this count."

"Deacon! Put me down!" She squealed, swearing between giggles as he ignored her. "You know I can walk fine right?"

"Only place I'm puttin' you down is on that bed."

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Mommy Mommy Mommy Mommy!" Daphne shrieked, twirling as they walked.

"What on earth did you give her?" Rayna asked Tandy, wide-eyed as they all walked into the hotel.

"Nothin'." Tandy muttered. "Don't you be whingin'…she's been like this since 5am."

"Nothing? Aunt Tandy gave her red cordial on the flight because she wouldn't shut up." Maddie offered, sidestepping Tandy as she shot her a look.

"You need to watch your language." Tandy exclaimed.

"Really?" Rayna smiled, raising an eyebrow. Tandy had the worst mouth on her and here she was chastising Maddie.

"Nice one." Tandy shot, looking at Maddie. "I thought there was like some Aunt/Niece code where you don't throw each other under the bus?"

They all laughed and Maddie ran after Daphne, yelling at her to slow down as they reached the elevator.

"What's on the agenda today?" Tandy asked.

"Well, we don't have a show for another two days and I've mostly been able to clear my schedule so I guess we'll all be just spendin' a lot of time orderin' room service and hangin' out."

Tandy nodded, crossing her arms as they continued walking. "How are you? The last phone call beside the one I got askin' if I'd bring the girls out was…definitely unusual."

Rayna laughed, recalling the drunken phone call to Tandy a few weeks back. "Oh that…was definitely not pretty…I don't even remember half of what I said."

"I do."

"Shut up." Rayna muttered, taking a breath before she continued. "You know, things are definitely lookin' better Tand…They're a lot better."

"So…" Tandy drawled, looking up at the girls fighting over pressing the elevator button. "You and Deacon have sorted things out, you've finally talked…?"

The elevator doors creaked open and Rayna gasped. Deacon looked up and smiled as the girls flew into the elevator, jumping all over him when they realised who it was.

"Speak of the devil." Tandy smirked, watching Rayna's expression change.

"What?" Rayna asked half-heartedly, clearly dazed by the surprise of seeing Deacon.

"Never mind."

**- NASHVILLE -**

**One day later**

"Maddie! Hurry up, I swear I'm not gonna ask you again." Rayna warned, quickly running a brush through Daphne's hair. "We've gotta get goin'."

"She's not listenin' to you." Daphne piped up, playing with her fingers.

"I'm aware of that." Rayna muttered, looking in the mirror briefly to check that she was also happy with the way she looked. "Maddie!"

"Mom!" Maddie whinged, suddenly appearing at the bathroom door. "I'm not goin'."

"What are you talkin' about? Of course you're comin' you're the one who begged Uncle Bucky to set this up."

"But I have nothin' to wear and everyone who's anyone is gonna be there."

"You mean Juliette." Daphne giggled.

"I have nothin' to wear."

"You have heaps of clothes." Daphne grinned.

"Nothin' Juliette's gonna like." Maddie shot. "Mom, I need to look grown up…not like some sixth grader."

"You are a sixth grader." Daphne teased.

"Shut up."

"Hey! Cut it out." Rayna breathed, shaking her head as Maddie stomped her foot. "Honey, you look real pretty…You need to stop freakin' out…You don't need to look like anyone but yourself…I'm sure the last thing Juliette is gonna care about is what you're wearin'-"

"-So you're tellin' me not to bother?" She screeched, causing Daphne to slam her hands against her ears. "Juliette Barnes is only the biggest thing to happen to music, since like ever."

Rayna did a double take, keeping her eyes fixed on Maddie for a brief moment as Tandy appeared. She hated it whenever Maddie did that, made references about hers and Juliette's music, and Maddie knew it too.

"Why don't we go and see if there's somethin' that you do like, ok?" Tandy soothed, directing Maddie away from the bathroom door. Rayna mouthed thank you and turned her attention back to Daphne.

"You're not gonna turn against me when you hit sixth grade are you?" Rayna joked, smiling into the mirror as she looked at her youngest child.

"Mom, you need to chill out."

**- NASHVILLE -**

In the private room at the back of the restaurant in the hotel, everyone seemed to have circled around the buffet, filling their plates as they chatted and carried on. Dinner had gone well and everyone had gotten along. Bucky and Tandy had taken to talking in a corner, Scarlett and Gunnar were running around the table after Daphne who had stolen his hat and Maddie was fumbling over words as she spoke to Juliette and Liam. Deacon and Rayna revelled at the chaos, losing themselves in the middle of it all.

"Hi there." Deacon whispered, intentionally bumping into her as they casually followed each other around the buffet. Rayna exhaled, smiling gladly at the brief moment they were sharing. "What's wrong?"

"Maddie will be the death of me I swear." Rayna muttered, speaking without thinking.

"Why's that?"

"You know what? Never mind." She shook her head, turning her attention to him as she smiled. "You don't need to hear about that. How are you?"

"I'm good. I have to say though, I'm better now that I've seen you." He grinned. Rayna blushed, stealing a look around to make sure that they were going unnoticed.

"I've missed you." She whispered achingly.

"Darlin', I know exactly what you mean." He replied, looking her up and down.

"I don't think that you do."

"Mom!" Daphne exclaimed, jumping in between the pair as she looked up at Deacon. "Excuse me Deacon I kinda need to talk to my Mom."

"Don't let me stop you." He laughed. "You're the boss."

"I was wondering if I can stay with Scarlett tonight?" She spoke boldly, swaying as she looked over at Scarlett and Gunnar. "She say's it's fine."

"Is that right?" Rayna chuckled.

"Yep."

"Hon, that's not gonna happen tonight."

"But Mom!" She whinged, flipping her hair over her shoulder before crossing her arms. "I wanna sing songs with her…she's a singer you know."

"I do know that, yes." Rayna smiled, catching Deacon's gaze as he watched her reason with Daphne.

"I sing, so I think you should let me go." Daphne shrugged. Rayna inhaled sharply, scratching her head as he daughter refused to back down. Deacon saw the frustration on Rayna's face and took it upon himself to intervene.

Deacon got down to the little girl's eye level and she smiled. "How about this…Why don't you go and tell Gunnar that I said to go grab us a few guitars and we'll have our own sing a long in here. That way you get to sing with Scarlett and you get to sleep in your own bed in your Momma's hotel room? Sound fun?"

Daphne's eyes lit up and she bolted in Scarlett and Gunnar's direction as she yelled. "Gunnar Gunnar Gunnar! You have to get me some guitars right now, we're gonna sing."

Daphne dragged the young songwriters out of the room and everyone laughed.

Deacon turned around and joked. "If the little lady say's we're havin' a sing a long…I guess you've gotta do what you're told."

**- NASHVILLE -**

After pushing plates and cups into the middle of the table, people pulled seats out from around the table and got comfortable. Some sat, some stood; all focused on quickly tuning instruments as they listened to the little girl giggle. Deacon saw Maddie sitting awkwardly as she watched people sitting with instruments. He picked up the spare guitar that was sitting behind Gunnar and walked over to Maddie.

"Here you go." He smiled, holding out the guitar.

Maddie shook her head incessantly, holding her hands up in front of her as she looked from Juliette to Deacon. "Oh I don't think so. I'm really not that great."

"Are you kiddin'? You're amazin'." Deacon exclaimed.

"He's right you know," Juliette offered, leaning towards Maddie. "I've heard y'all before and you are definitely a lot better than some of the musician's I've worked with in writin' sessions."

"You mean that?" Maddie beamed.

"Sure do." Juliette grinned. "You're Uncle Deacon doesn't lie when he say's you can play good."

Maddie took the guitar off Deacon and smiled. Rayna had been watching from afar and caught Juliette's eye and smiled gratefully. Juliette nodded in acknowledgment.

"Just follow us, it won't be too hard to pick up." Deacon said cheerfully, turning on his heel to look at Daphne and Scarlett. "Alright y'all, what are we singin'?"

"I dunno." Scarlett squeaked, looking over at Daphne. "What'd you wanna sing?"

"Um…" Daphne hummed. "One of your songs."

"Daphne, you don't know any of her songs." Maddie interrupted as she rolled her eyes.

"So?"

"_So,_ maybe not."

Rayna exhaled, the last thing she wanted to be doing was breaking up a fight, especially when all attention was now on her two children. Deacon appeared next to her and smiled. She laughed and ran a hand through her hair, quickly forgetting the girls arguing.

"It's ok. Why don't we sing a song that I'm sure y'all know…." Scarlett shrugged, leaning over to Gunnar who smiled when he heard what song she was thinking of. He counted her in and she straightened in her seat.

"Do do dododo dododo do do." She sang freely.

Gunnar started to play a steady melody, dynamic and lively. Within a few moments, all the other musicians joined the song, quickly picking up what he was playing. Gunnar turned to Scarlett and nodded.

"I wear a demeanour made of bright pretty things. What she wears, what she wears, what she wears." Scarlett sang, each word punchy and cheerful. Smiling and frivolity feel across the room as they recognised the song. "Birds singin' on my shoulder in harmony it seems. How they sing, how they sing, how they sing."

"Give me night's of solitude. Red wine just a glass or two. Reclined in a hammock on a balmy evenin'." Juliette sang, bringing attention to herself as everyone8 turned to her.

"I'll pretend that it's no thing. This skip in my heart when I think." Rayna sang, holding her hands behind her as she looked at Deacon. He smiled widely, his eyes never leaving hers as she swayed. "Are they thinkin' of me? Babe, I'm crazy over you."

Quickly, Scarlett turned to Daphne and pointed at her, sending the little girl into giggles before she fell into singing the chorus. "Aaah Aaah Aaah. There's something in the water, something in the water."

Everyone cheered before joining her to sing, each taking different harmonies. "Aaah Aaah Aaah. There's somethin' in the water that makes me love you like-"

"-I've got halo's made of summer, rhythms made of spring. What she wears, what she wears, what she wears." Maddie sang sweetly, smiling as Deacon caught her eye and nodded encouragingly at her guitar.

"I got crowns of words a woven each one a song to sing. Oh I sing, oh I sing, oh I sing." Scarlett sang, twirling Daphne around.

"Give me long days in the sun, preludes to the nights to come. Previews of the mornings laying in all lazy." Juliette sung lightly, leaning on the edge of her chair as she jokingly pointed in Deacon and Rayna's direction.

"Give me somethin' fun to do like a life of lovin' you." Rayna giggled, playfully pushing Deacon away when he leant towards her. "Kiss me quick now baby I'm still crazy over you."

"To the chorus!" Gunnar called, sending every voice into a spiralling melody as they all joined together and sang.

Everyone was laughing and carrying on as they tried to follow each other through choruses and bridges, either playing instruments or clapping in time as they went. Bucky and Tandy seemed to be whispering as they took in the scene, Maddie and Juliette were pulling faces as they sang, Scarlett and Gunnar were captivated by Daphne and Deacon was fighting the urge to lean over and kiss Rayna, right there, right now. She cocked her head, putting her hands on her hips as his eyes told her what he wanted to do. They both knew it wasn't going to happen, not here anyway, so they tried their best to shake off the feelings that were starting to bubble inside, settling for playful smiles and back and forth humming. Rayna twirled a loose strand of hair and turned to listen to her youngest sing the last line.

"There's somethin' in the water that makes me love you like I do do dododo dododo do do." Daphne sang, smiling wildly as the room erupted in applause.

"I swear I did not give her any red cordial." Tandy muttered, waving her hands as everyone looked at her and laughed.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Rayna pushed the button and the elevator doors closed. She smirked as she stole a look at Daphne, sprawled in Deacon's arms fast asleep. After about the fourth song she'd dropped to the floor, exhaustion overtaking her. She'd laid in Scarlett's arms for a while but when she'd started tossing and turning Rayna had decided it was time to call it a night. She had gone to pick Daphne up to take her to the hotel room but before she could do anything, Deacon had the little girl in his arms and he was headed for the door. Tandy had promised to bring Maddie up later, shooing Rayna away as everyone returned to their own conversations. Daphne murmured something against Deacon's chest and he chuckled.

"Thanks for doin' this." Rayna whispered.

"That's alright." He murmured, looking over at her warmly. "Couldn't have you carryin' her up…Never thought someone as little as her would be this heavy."

"Mmhmm, but this little one sure is adorable when she sleeps." Rayna cooed, moving closer to kiss Daphne on the head before she looked up at Deacon.

"Just like her Momma, she sure is adorable." He whispered, leaning down to kiss her slowly, breathing her in as his mouth touched hers.

Rayna sighed before pulling away reluctantly as her head spun. She fanned herself and cleared her throat in an attempt to shake the mood. "Well..."

"I don't agree." He smirked.

"With what?" She asked, lips pursed as she spoke.

"Kissin' a girl quick doesn't drive them crazy..." He murmured, setting his eyes on her as she tried not to smile at his reference to the lyrics of the first song they'd sung. "That songs got it all wrong."

"You'd know wouldn't you."

"I find that waitin' in that moment, watchin' her watch me before I lean in and kiss her slow is what does really does it." He shrugged.

"I guess you'll have to show me one day." She smirked, biting her lip as she swayed.

Deacon chuckled, smiling at Rayna briefly before he faltered. He was losing his grip on Daphne and he changed his position, pulling her tighter into his arms as she grumbled and made noises. They both laughed and Rayna pulled out her cell phone.

"What are you doin'?" Deacon asked curiously.

Rayna opened the camera application on her cell phone and looked up at Deacon. "You know what else is adorable?"

"What? No, don't you be takin' photos Ray-"

"-This." She grinned, quickly snapping a picture of the pair much to Deacon's dismay. He didn't get a chance to argue his point because the elevator doors opened and she quickly ran out.


	22. Chapter 22

**NB: I'm so full of thanks to every reader and reviewer, thank you a hundred times over. This chapter is a little long, I debated splitting it but decided against it at the last minute. If y'all have been following since the beginning and you've been enjoying the nice little chapters just gone...things are going to start getting every kind of complicated and every bit emotional again in the chapters to come...The songs in this chapter are 'Out On My Own (Acoustic Version) - Gabrielle Aplin' and 'With A Little Help From My Friends - John Lennon & Paul McCartney (When I wrote this I had the Lady Antebellum & Jennette McCurdy version in mind)' - I own nothing, all copyright to respective artists...**

**PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/****HATES/COMMENTS/****THOUGHTS/FAVOURITELINES/FOLLOWS/INSIGHTS/HOPES/PMS and WHATEVER ELSE COMING...I appreciate it all...with that being said, enjoy chapter twenty two...**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

**Two days later…**

Rayna walked down the steps side of stage and into a wall of people as applause echoed behind her. The show had gone off without any hitches and she'd quickly settled into having the full band and Liam playing her set again. She caught sight of Deacon and stopped short, jealousy running her through without warning. He was standing next to a brunette who was giggling and hanging off his every word. He didn't appear to be at all fazed by the woman. Her hands were lingering a little too long on his forearm as she listened to him, she was certainly overfriendly. Rayna clenched her fists and shook her head, realising that she was letting jealousy get the better of her.

"Breathe. You need to stop bein' ridiculous, you haven't exactly been screamin' from the rooftops that you're seein' him now have you?" She thought, smiling awkwardly as her words sunk into her skin.

"What are we looking at?" Liam teased, appearing next to Rayna. She jumped, swearing as he smirked and looked over at Deacon. "Oh…I've gotta give it to the guy. He sure knows how to pick them…although I'm confused, what happened to um…What's her name?"

"Don't play dumb, it doesn't look good on you." Rayna scoffed.

"Stacey!" He exclaimed, smacking his forehead. "Where is she these days?"

Rayna shot him a look, crossing her arms as they ignored the people pushing past them. She was well aware that he knew that Deacon and Stacey weren't involved anymore, gossip travelled like wildfire with their crew, everyone knew about Deacon and Stacey. Liam raised an eyebrow and she looked at him blankly.

"You know what?...Jealousy is lookin' all sorts of good on you right now." Liam goaded, stepping away from her to avoid the impending attack he would no doubt receive. He knew that there was something going on between Deacon and Rayna, he just didn't have any proof.

"You're an arseh-" She started.

"-Hey Mom!" Maddie called, walking over to greet them with Tandy and Daphne.

Rayna quickly shut her mouth, adopting a cheery exterior as she forced excitement. "Hey girls!"

"This is so great!" Daphne grinned.

"It is! Especially havin' y'all here with me."

"Um Mom…?" Her youngest asked, standing on her toes as she searched the crowd. "…Is Scarlett back here?"

"Figures." Rayna sighed. "Here I was thinkin' that you wanted to see me."

"She's been talkin' about her all day." Maddie sighed.

"No I haven't."

"Why don't we see if we can find her hey? Leave Mom while she finishes up." Tandy smiled, steering both girls away as she looked at Rayna. "We'll catch you later."

"Ok, bye y'all." She waved, walking in the direction of her dressing room with Liam. She collapsed into the lounge chair and he sat next to her, watching her carefully. He cleared his throat and she looked up at him.

"What?"

"Nothing." He smiled, bumping her knee. "You seem…_very happy_ these days."

"Don't say it like that."

"Like what?-"

"-Like that."

"This has something to do with Deacon doesn't it?-"

"-Oh, come on!" She spluttered, pushing him away from her. They started laughing, both unable to string enough words together to make a logical sentence.

"It's a legitimate thing to ask." He shrugged, holding up his hands as she swatted him.

"Liam I swear-!"

"-When I left last week you were all…'_If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it_' and this week you're all…" He joked, pulling a face as he imitated Rayna's voice. "Deacon, don't take my pancakes I'm _so_ hungry..oh no….Take them from me Deacon, have whatever you want..."

"You're so mean." She cried, leaning into him.

Liam shook his head, stifling his laughter as they sat together. He continued to mock her. "No Liam, we're just friends I swear. Oh please, spare me."

Deacon walked in, his eyes falling on Rayna and Liam tangled in a chortling pursuit on the lounge. He wasn't sure what came first; anger or jealousy, but they were both definitely in the mix. He cleared his throat, capturing Rayna's attention immediately as she distanced herself from Liam.

"What's goin' on in here?" Deacon greeted, smiling grimly as his eyes darted from Rayna to Liam.

"Nothin', Liam was just leavin'." Rayna said smoothly, feeling a kick in the stomach as she watched Deacon's face change. He was jealous, no he was hurt.

"Hey." Liam nodded, subtly moving further away from Rayna. Deacon looked more then prepared to launch an attack at him, Liam knew that look anywhere. Deacon's eyes were telling him that he was way too close to Rayna and he was anything but happy about it. "Yes, I was just leavin' so…."

"Um-" Rayna fumbled.

"-Tomorrow, 10am flight right?" Liam asked, standing up.

"Mmhmm."

"Well I'll see you both in the morning then." He replied, sidestepping Deacon who hadn't taken his eyes off him since he'd started speaking. He looked back at Rayna and smiled, leaning against the doorframe. "Try not to have too much fun without me tonight."

"I'm pretty sure that's the last thing you should be worryin' about." Deacon muttered.

Liam walked away and Rayna bit her lip, leaning into the arm of the lounge as Deacon watched him walk down the corridor. He turned around to face her and she was laughing. It didn't take long for him to follow. He closed the door and Rayna jumped up off the lounge and walked over to him, leaping into his arms when he opened them. Deacon lifted her off the ground and Rayna wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers finding his hair when he kissed her. They both paused, looking at one another to let small smiles creep onto their lips, their faces inches apart. Over the last four days there had been little, if not any time where they'd been alone, really alone. They'd spent most of their free time with the girls, their bands or the crew. Whenever they had been together, they were second-guessing each word, each glance, thinking carefully before they'd interacted because they knew that eyes were always watching. Standing here now, there was none of that. If they thought about it, these last four days had been exhausting.

"How long are we gonna have to keep doin' this private thing?" Deacon asked, his breath hot on her neck as he whispered against her skin.

"Hmmm."

"Because I'm not so sure how much longer I can kick the urge to punch that guy, he's a real piece of sh-"

"-Well, I'll have you know that I don't take too kindly to seein' you gettin' all friendly with brunettes side of stage either." She retorted playfully, pulling a face when he scoffed. "Yeah, I saw you out there tonight, you were all smiles and all kinds of charmin'."

"I only get friendly with one woman and she ain't a brunette." He defended, raising an eyebrow as he tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her even closer against his body.

"Is that right?" Rayna squirmed, her toes barely touching the tops of his feet as their lips met.

"Yeah, that's right." He spoke proudly, closing the gap between them to kiss her with as much passion as he could find.

"So this whole '_not keepin' us private thing_'…I'm thinkin'…" She mumbled as she tried not to focus on his lips on hers.

"I'm listenin'."

"How does dinner sound?"

"Dinner?"

"Wanna come over to the house tomorrow night? You, me and the girls?" She asked freely, mirroring his expression as he smiled.

"Seriously?"

"Mmhmm."

"I'd love to."

**- NASHVILLE -**

"What'd you mean you don't want my bolognese?" Rayna exclaimed, turning up the dial on the stovetop to boil a pot of water. "I thought y'all loved it?"

"I didn't say that." Daphne giggled, spinning around on the stool on the opposite side of the counter in the kitchen.

"Yeah you did."

"Na ah."

"Yeah eah." Rayna nodded, wiping her hands on a tea towel.

"I said that we should order Chinese instead." Daphne shrugged, drumming her fingers on the countertop. "Deacon likes Chinese."

"_You_ like Chinese." Rayna laughed.

"Yeah, but Mom…It also might be _safer_ to eat, just saying."

"Are you sayin' that I can't cook?!"

Daphne froze, hiding her smile as Rayna watched her face turn red. The doorbell rang and Daphne leapt of the stool before Rayna could coax an answer. Moment's later, she returned with Deacon.

"Deacon's here. He has pie." Daphne beamed.

"Hi there." Rayna greeted.

"Hey."

"Mom's cooking dinner."

"I can see that." Deacon chuckled, looking at Daphne wide-eyed.

"Hey!" Rayna warned, pointing the knife in their direction as they laughed.

"I didn't say anythin'." Deacon replied, holding his hands up.

"Daphne, where is your sister?" Rayna asked, realising she was missing a child.

"In her room, remember?"

Rayna exhaled. Maddie had picked a fight this afternoon when she'd told the girls that they'd be staying at Teddy's tomorrow night. She didn't want to go, she'd been quite vocal about it. _Mom, I don't wanna stay there, especially if she's been staying there too, that's just gross. Why can't I just stay here with you? You do know I hate this right? I'm not going, you can't make me. _Maddie had been referring to Peggy. Rayna hated that Maddie knew that Teddy had been seeing Peggy while they'd still been married, she cringed knowing that Maddie had only found out because she'd come home early from school. She loathed the feeling of not being able to protect her from things she couldn't understand, things she didn't need to know. They had fought back and forth, Maddie hadn't backed down and neither had she. Eventually Maddie realised that Rayna wouldn't budge, so she'd stormed up the stairs and slammed her door. That was four hours ago.

"Mom?" Daphne repeated, waving in her hands in Rayna's face.

"Hmm?"

"Did you want me to go get her?"

"Well…" Rayna hesitated, looking from the chopping board to the staircase. "If she hasn't come out of her room yet, I doubt you goin'-"

"I can go see what she's up to if you want?" Deacon offered, surprising Rayna with his offer. "I'm neutral to the whole thing, I'm just Uncle Deacon."

"Oh no…Deacon you really don't have-"

"-I don't mind, seriously." He replied, already heading in the direction of the stairs.

"Um ok sure, only if you want to." Rayna agreed reluctantly, her eyes darting between the boiling pot and Deacon. "But if y'all aren't down soon I'll be sure to send a search party up, that search party bein' Daphne."

"I think I can handle it." Deacon grinned.

"You weren't here this afternoon." Daphne mumbled, raising her eyebrows. "She was totally mental."

Deacon pointed up the stairs. "First door on the left, right?"

Rayna and Daphne nodded, looking at one another cheekily.

"Mom, the pot!"

**- NASHVILLE -**

"I don't know if I'll return. I'm out on my own...Headin' out on my own." Maddie sang softly, strumming along as she looked at the pieces of paper that sat in front of her.

The floorboards outside her bedroom creaked and she stopped playing and sat quietly. There was a small knock on her door and she rolled her eyes. "Mom, I already told you...I'm not comin' out till you say I don't have to go to Dad's."

"Right, well if you're not comin' out…can I come in?"

"Deacon?" Maddie squeaked, making a face as she looked at her closed bedroom door.

"Can I come in?"

"I guess."

Deacon opened the door reluctantly and smiled when he say Maddie sprawled out on her bed; papers, pillows, tissues, chocolate wrappers and a guitar surrounding her. She gestured at a chair at the end of her bed and Deacon sat.

"Nice room." Deacon smiled, looking around.

"Thanks."

"It's a pretty song…" He tried, pointing at the papers scattered on her bed. "Sounded real good."

"Did my Mom send you up here to get me?" Maddie spoke flatly. "Because I'm not comin' downstairs, I already-"

"-No…I just thought I'd come say hi is all."

"Oh."

"But I think it'd be fun if you did come down…" He added, chuckling when Maddie shot him a look. "You know you want to…I mean, I need a good teammate for whatever board game we're sure to be roped into playin', there's food, well you're Momma's tryin' to cook-"

"-Mmhmm." Maddie rolled her eyes, avoiding Deacon's gaze as she mumbled some begrudging comment about Rayna.

"Look darlin', I know you're hurtin' and I'll be the first to say that I don't understand what it is you're goin' through…But the one thing you need to know is that your Mom and Dad love you…Don't pay no mind to anythin' else, you've gotta know they love you, even if it doesn't feel like it…You're Mom, she's tryin'…" Deacon said soothingly, his voice coarse as he watched Maddie burst into tears. He hated seeing her cry, it pulled at his heart, it pulled harder then he'd thought possible. He didn't like seeing her like this at all.

"I hate this you know?" Maddie cried, pulling her glasses off when they fogged up. "I hate it."

"I know." He nodded, approaching the side of the bed slowly before she welcomed him to sit. She fell into his arms when he reached for her. Deacon rested his chin on the top of her head and looked around the room. He noticed another guitar sitting in the corner of the room but he didn't say anything. Instead he sat quietly for a good while, waiting until she was ready to let go.

"Thanks." She sniffed, wiping her glasses as she put them back on. "You probably think I'm some big baby now don't you?"

"Nope." He chuckled.

"I guess we should go downstairs." Maddie mumbled, taking a deep breath as she looked at the mess around her. She began to pick up the papers, gathering them into a neat pile.

"You're just like your Momma you know that?" He smiled, gesturing to the papers. "She writes one song on a million pieces of paper…Makes it real hard for you to follow when she plays coz you have no idea what's supposed to come next."

"What, this?" Maddie scoffed, shaking her head. "It's just a bunch of words."

"I don't believe that." He responded, walking over to pick up the battered guitar that sat in the corner of the room.

"Hey, that's Mo-" Maddie started.

"-You're Momma's, I know. She used to try and follow me when I played her songs…Let's just say that you're a lot better at it." He grinned, tuning it as he sat back down on the seat opposite the bed. Deacon sat expectantly, watching Maddie. "Come on, let's hear it."

"Um…" She fumbled, picking up her guitar as she spread out the pieces of paper again. "Ok, but you can't laugh at me."

Maddie began to play, her fingers gently meeting the strings. She looked up at Deacon and sang nervously. "I think I've outgrown my home. I'm kind of feelin' lost wherever I go. And I could be starin' it right in the face and I wouldn't know. I think I've outgrown my home."

He smiled, joining the song with an accompanying riff that made her smile. She sat up a little straighter on the bed and continued singing. "I have a song in my heart. And just like life it has a middle, an end, a start. And who knows if I'm on the path if I'm walking in the dark? Oh, I have a song in my heart."

She looked at the paper, singing spontaneously before she came to a stop. "I'm happy just to float…Wherever this river flows."

They both looked at one another and smiled.

"That's all I've got so far." She shrugged, looking at the ground. "It's just a start."

"That's a pretty good start if you ask me."

**- NASHVILLE -**

"No, don't you and your sister get any ideas." Rayna laughed, watching the cheeky grin pass across Daphne's face. "I'm lookin' for a guy, not two cheeky, crazy talented girls."

"I'm so not cheeky." Daphne shrugged. "You could always sign Deacon. He is a guy."

"I think Mom's lookin' for someone a little younger." Maddie offered, casually walking into the kitchen with Deacon.

Taken aback, Rayna stopped cutting bread briefly to look in their direction. Her eyes fell on Deacon and he smiled before turning his attention to Maddie as she looked at Rayna and mouthed the words 'I'm sorry'. Rayna nodded.

"Oh wow." Deacon chuckled, playfully pushing Maddie off balance as he walked around to sit next to Daphne.

"No offense." Maddie replied, holding a hand up to Deacon.

"None taken, but you do not get any of my pie." He shrugged, watching Daphne open the box.

"It smells like so so good."

"I made it myself."

"You did?" Rayna grinned. "Why am I not surprised? It's beautiful."

"But this." Maddie scrunched up her nose as she opened the pot of food on the stove. "Not so much."

Deacon, Maddie and Daphne fell into hysterics as Rayna stood open-mouthed. She dropped her knife and let her gaze move over the three as they took turns to make off hand comments about the food.

"What is with y'all makin' fun of my cookin'?!" She exclaimed, walking over to Maddie who was still inspecting the sauce.

"Mom, we love you." Maddie tried, looking at Deacon for help. "But this…"

"Let's have a look, shall we?" Deacon suggested, walking around to stand next to them. He took a wooden spoon off the counter top and tasted the sauce. Rayna looked at him expectantly and he swallowed hard, smiling grimly.

"What?" Rayna said flatly, raising a hand to her hip.

"Nothin'…it's just…" Deacon replied, trying to keep a straight face as Rayna raised an eyebrow.

"Is it really that bad?" Rayna asked, opening her mouth as he held up a fresh spoon of sauce. Rayna faked a smile as she tasted her own handiwork. Maybe there was a reason why she stuck to breakfast duty, pancakes were all the girls seemed to live off whenever she was cooking. Deacon chuckled as he watched her control her facial expressions. She looked at her youngest and spoke dryly, refusing to acknowledge that everyone was right. "Takeaway menus please."

"Yes!" Daphne, Maddie and Deacon squealed in unison, throwing their hands up.

"Here, I'll help you." Maddie called, running after her.

"Sorry." He chuckled, putting the lid back on her concoction. "But there's a reason why people don't let you near the craft services kitchen…and it's not because you're Grammy Award winnin' Rayna Jaymes."

"Shush it." She shook her head, nudging him as he smirked at her. He leant over and kissed her quick on the cheek but she pushed him away.

"At least we have pie." He shrugged.

"I vote Chinese." Daphne exclaimed, throwing the menus on the bench.

"Me too." Maddie smiled.

"Me three." Deacon added, leaning on the counter as they all looked at Rayna who'd turned around to pick up a phone. "Hey, what can I do to help?"

"Y'all have done enough, you know...hurtin' my feelin's, mockin' my cookin..." She said breezily, spreading out the menus in front of her. The other three fell silent as they watched Rayna look at the menus. "You know what you can do?...You can take these people into the other room and keep them occupied while I figure out what y'all are gonna have for dinner now that you've thrown my plans out the window."

"Alright, you heard the lady." Deacon grinned, looking at the girls as they readily left a brooding Rayna behind.

"So we were talking before and we're decided you're gonna sing with us." Daphne said matter-of-factly, taking Deacon's hand as she dragged him into the lounge area.

"I dunno little lady, I feel a little outnumbered playin' with you and your sister…Y'all are the real deal, I'm pretty intimidated by your talent." Deacon replied, feigning fear as Daphne walked over and picked up a guitar for him. "You might blow me out of the water."

"Mmmm, you're gonna play with us anyway." Daphne hummed, sitting down.

"Maybe I'll sit this one out." Maddie said nervously, gesturing to her guitar. "And let you play."

"Like hell you won't!" Deacon smiled, pulling a pick out of his pocket.

"Swearing is like rude!" Daphne said sternly, shaking a finger at Deacon disapprovingly.

"You got told by a nine year old." Maddie smirked.

"Oh sorry," Deacon apologized, looking over his shoulder briefly when her heard Rayna burst into laughter. She returned her attention to the person on the phone and he looked at Maddie. "But like I said before…you're a lot better at pickin' up a song on an instrument than you're Momma…you're a lot better than some of the session writers too."

"He just said you're better than Mom." Daphne added cheekily.

"I heard that." Rayna called.

"Tell you what," He grinned, straightening his posture. "Y'all choose which song you wanna play and I'll come in behind you."

Daphne patted Maddie on the arm encouragingly and she smiled, leaning over to her as they quickly discussed song choices. There was a lot of head shaking and whispering before they came to a conclusion. Deacon waited patiently, captivated by the two little ladies in front of him. He couldn't believe how much he was enjoying this.

"Oh yeah, that's a good one." Daphne nodded, waving her hands around. "Play that one."

Maddie giggled nervously, her fingers playing the beginnings of a song that she and Daphne had learnt the other day. They'd heard some of the guys in their Mom's band playing it back stage before a sound check and they'd loved it. Her rhythm was bright and fixed as she played. She looked from Daphne to Deacon as she tried her best to recall the lyrics.

"What would you think if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me?" She sang happily.

"Yep." Daphne giggled, ignoring the face Maddie made before Deacon played a complementary phrase, his fingers moving quickly.

"Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song and I'll try not to sing out of key." She continued, nodding to Daphne to join her. "Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends. Yeah, I get high with a little help from my friends. I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends."

Rayna stood speechless, completely fixed on what was unfolding before her; the song, the girls, Deacon, everything. It all seemed to fit. She'd tried to keep herself busy in the kitchen, letting the girls have their own time with Deacon, but it was getting harder to stand back and just be a spectator. Her breath hitched when Deacon's gaze wandered over her way.

"What do I do when my love is away? Does it worry you to be alone?" He sang, turning back to smile at the little blonde girl.

"How do I feel by the end of the day? I get sad coz you're all on your own." Daphne sang, tapping her knee.

"No," Rayna joined, attracting smiles from the other three as she walked over and sat on the arm of the chair next Maddie. "I get by with a little help from my friends. Yes, I get high with a little help from my friends. I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends."

Deacon tapped the guitar, counting Rayna and Daphne into the bridge to sing with him. "Do you need anybody?"

Rayna and Daphne pointed at Maddie who happily sung in reply. "I need somebody to love."

"Could it be anybody?" They sang. Maddie bumped her sister's knee.

"I want somebody to love." Daphne sang.

Rayna heard the front door open and she frowned, turning her head to see if she'd imagined it. Her stomach fell through the floor as Teddy walked through the door, his smile quickly becoming a cold, hard stare. The music and laughter between Maddie, Deacon and Daphne ceased as Rayna awkwardly stood, her eyes focused on Teddy's.

"Dad!?" Daphne exclaimed, jumping off the seat to greet him. "Hey!"

"Hi honey." He said half-heartedly, his focus very much on Deacon. "What's going on here?"

"We were just makin' some dinner." Rayna replied hesitantly, subtly stepping between Deacon and Teddy.

"Not exactly, we're playing music because we had to order Chinese...You know how Mom's cookin' suck-" Daphne corrected, oblivious to the tension in the room.

"Daph." Maddie shushed, shaking her head.

"This is a surprise, we didn't expect to be seein' you till tomorrow afternoon." Rayna smiled.

"Yeah well, Daphne left her ballet shoes in the car and I figured she'd need them for her dance class." Teddy replied.

Rayna shoved her hands in her pockets and looked at the ground as silence flooded the room. Eyes darted in all directions; no one was really looking anyone directly in the eye, they were just desperately needing something to occupy the time.

"Would it be alright if you and I had a word?" Teddy asked Rayna bitterly, ushering the little girl away as he spoke.

"Yep." She replied slowly.

"Out in the hall." Teddy nodded in the direction of door. Rayna shot the girls a reassuring smile as she followed him out.

"Did we order enough Chinese if Dad's here too?" Daphne blurted.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"You wanna tell me what the hell is going on?" Teddy hissed, turning on his heel to face Rayna once they were out of earshot.

"Honestly? Well you see…" Rayna started reluctantly, fiddling with her fingers as she looked at him. "Deacon and I might be…"

Teddy rolled his eyes, shifting on his feet as he spoke, his tone bitter. "Really? You're-"

"-Well yeah Teddy, it's _very_ early."

"It's a bad idea." Teddy pushed, shaking his head.

"Oh, I'm sorry that I was honest with you about this-"

"-Rayna, I know you. I know what you're like-"

"-You _don't_ know me." She said matter-of-factly, crossing her arms. "What is your problem? It's not like you haven't already shacked up with-"

"-I know you and there is no way that you can be in a relationship with him without the truth coming out."

"Excuse me!" She scoffed, taken aback by the accusation.

"Do you have any idea what's at stake?" Teddy asked, stepping closer to her.

"Do you think I'm stupid? Of course I know."

"I am her father, her _only_ father. Rayna, do not threaten that."

"I'm not sure what is offendin' me more...The fact that you're bringin' this up or the fact that you think I'd hurt her like that, or you, I wouldn't hurt you like that."

"You need to honor what you promised me the day our daughter was born…and if you can't do that…you need to seriously consider whether putting your own needs first is worth the damage it will do to everyone else around you if you can't keep quiet about this." He whispered harshly.

"How dare you." Rayna shook her head, repulsed by everything that was happening. "Come on in here and make accusations like that-"

"-I don't want him anywhere near our daughters."

"You don't get to decide that."

"I'm serious Rayna."

"So am I."

"If you can't keep your word you need to end it with him."

"Well, that's just too bad because I'm not-" Rayna started.

"-Mom, the food's here." Maddie called, hesitantly appearing in the doorway.

Teddy and Rayna turned around to face her, both clearing their throats as they tried smiling.

Maddie rocked from one foot to the other as she looked at Teddy blankly. "Is Dad stayin'? Are you stayin'? I guess we can set another place."

"No honey, he's actually-" Rayna smiled through her teeth.

"-I was just leaving." Teddy finished, walking past Rayna to kiss Maddie on the head.

He turned around and gave Rayna one last look. He didn't have to say anything; he already knew that she was aware that he'd just single-handedly stolen any of the good that Rayna was feeling about her relationship with Deacon. In that moment, that was all he needed.


	23. Chapter 23

**NB: THANK YOU to each reader and reviewer of BRAVE FACE, I feel like a broken record, but know that I truly appreciate the time you take to share your thoughts about chapters and the story itself. PLEASE by all means keep THOUGHTS/LOVES/HATES/FAVOURITES/FOLLOWS/HOPES/FAVO URITE LINES/PMS AND WHATEVER ELSE COMING...I look forward to it all, with that being said...enjoy chapter twenty three. **

**CHAPTER TWENTY THREE**

Deacon leant over and opened the passenger door when he saw Rayna running down the front steps. He quickly checked the time on the digital clock on the dashboard. 3:26. They were going to be late, they were due at the venue for a rehearsal in four minutes. Rayna jumped in the car and Deacon placed a quick kiss on her lips and turned the key in the ignition as she settled in her seat and apologised for being late. Something wasn't right.

"Hey." He smiled, pulling out of her driveway.

"Hey yourself."

"Last night was a lot of fun wasn't it?" He tried when she made no effort to make conversation.

"Yeah, it was." She said nodded, drumming her fingers on the windowsill as she kept her eyes on the cars passing by.

"You don't think so?"

"How'd you hear that when I said _yeah, it was_?"

"Ok but, it's just…you don't sound like you had fun last night is all."

"What? Deacon no, the girls had a great time…I had a great time."

"This has somethin' to do with Teddy showin' up doesn't it?" He asked flatly, pulling up at a red light. "What'd he say?"

"Deacon, it's…look babe, him comin' round has nothin' to do with anythin'." She lied unconvincingly, avoiding his gaze as she felt it burn into her shoulder. "I'm just real tired, my heads pretty stuck on the CMA rehearsal we're now kinda late for, and then there's everythin' else…It has nothin' to do with anythin'."

"Alright." He replied, knowing that she wasn't telling him the truth. Her words were all over the place.

Rayna exhaled, fighting for something reassuring to say but nothing came. How could she reassure him when she couldn't even reassure herself? Her cell phone started ringing and she smiled in relief, grateful to have an escape from the awkward silence.

"Hey Buck." She greeted, finally looking over at Deacon.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry. Tell them we'll be there as soon as we can…You know that the last person I like bein' is the one that's runnin' everyone late."

**- NASHVILLE -**

Side of stage, Rayna was nervously clapping her hands as she paced. Why had Teddy done that? He'd come round and pulled at the seams of everything and it had left her in a mess. She swore loudly. How long had she thought she could ignore this anyway? After Teddy had left last night, she'd completely switched off and tuned out the frivolity and chaos the girls and Deacon were creating as they ran around the house and carried on. She'd been grateful that they didn't pay much mind to her when she had busied herself with cleaning dishes. Clearly she'd gotten that wrong, especially after Deacon's less than subtle car conversation this morning. He knew something was wrong and she hated not being able to hide it from him. Perhaps Teddy was right; maybe she couldn't be in a relationship with Deacon without the truth coming out. She didn't know, she didn't want to know. The thought of Deacon finding out the truth about Maddie's paternity was her worst nightmare, it would destroy him. It already destroyed her knowing that she'd singlehandedly kept it from him. But what choice had he given her? Stable, reliable and committed were definitely not words that described Deacon when she'd found out she was pregnant. As much as it hurt to admit it, he wasn't her priority when she'd made the decision not to tell him the truth. Maddie had been her priority; her wellbeing, a stable home life, her future. Now, she was standing here trying hard not to fall to pieces as she struggled to stomach every ugly and guilt-ridden feeling that was overwhelming her body. Doing the right thing had never felt like this before, nothing about doing the right thing felt right to her anymore. What the hell was she supposed to do?

"You're going to do what you've always done, you're not going to say a word." She thought, nodding her head as she recited the words to herself.

"There you are." Deacon called, pulling Rayna's attention back to what was going on around her.

She smiled weakly, shoving her hands into her pockets. "Here I am."

Instinctively, he walked over and pulled her in to kiss him. Rayna leant into him hastily, needing to feel his lips on hers as she tried to forget the darkness brewing inside of her. She quickly remembered where they were and pulled away to look around. They were alone, but that wasn't encouragement enough for her to let him kiss her again. They were due on the stage for their sound check any moment now.

"What?" He asked curiously.

"Nothin'…I just think we shouldn't be...you know, not doin' this." She replied, gesturing at both of their lips. "Backstage when we're tryin' to keep this thing private..."

"Is that all?"

"Mmhmm.."

"Are you sure that's all it is? Ray, look at me."

"I am lookin' at you Deacon."

"Something's wrong." He tried, stepping closer to her as he spoke, his eyes searching hers. "I know when you're lyin'...and you're lyin' to me. Tell me, talk to me."

"Look babe, right now…" She replied, shaking her head and willing her tongue to choose it's words carefully. "I just can't…talk to you about it right-"

"-Rayna no. Don't do this again."

"Don't do what again?" She asked quietly, choking as he grabbed her hand.

"You…You're…You know, you're pullin' away from me." He countered. "Last night, this afternoon in the car, now."

"I'm not-"

"-There y'all are!" Juliette exclaimed, walking up the steps with Liam.

Rayna dropped Deacon's hand and shoved her hands into her back pockets, trying a smile as she looked at the pair fast approaching.

"Mmm yeah, just because you've both played a few CMA shows in your lifetime doesn't mean you get to show up a half hour late…." Liam called.

"Look, can y'all just hold on a second." Deacon said forcefully, the intensity of his tone catching everyone off guard. He threw a hand up to stop them from coming closer. "Go have a fight, buy some damn bean dip, I dunno, I really don't care…just do it somewhere else."

Liam and Juliette stopped mid step, both confused as to what they'd stumbled upon. When Rayna and Deacon glared at them a smirk crept onto Liam's face and Juliette rocked on her feet.

"Well what do we have here?" Liam whispered.

"We've ah, got a sound check and considerin' y'all were the ones who were late…you're not really in any position to be askin' for things right now." Juliette replied matter-of-factly, clearly angry at Rayna and Deacon's failure to arrive on time.

"We know that." Deacon and Rayna said together, ignoring the pair as they made off comments about their combined attitude.

"But we're askin' anyway, so would you kindly back off and give us a minute." Deacon added before turning back to Rayna. He lowered his voice, his eyes pleading with her. "Ray please, you can tell me, just tell me what's goin' on..."

Rayna exhaled uneasily, shaking her head as she put a hand to her hip. She fought with her words, struggling to find the right ones. "It's just-"

"-We all need to be on that stage. Like now." Juliette pushed, crossing her arms. "Now!"

"Young love." Liam hummed, grabbing onto the railing as he looked from Deacon and Rayna to Juliette. "Isn't it a beautiful thing?-"

"-Seriously?! Come on y'all!" Rayna exclaimed, throwing a hand in the air as she looked over Deacon's shoulder to shoot Liam a look. "We're not askin' for the world here."

"Ray." Deacon whispered.

"Babe…I can't." She mumbled, shaking her head as they tried their best to talk over Liam and Juliette's complaining. "Right now, I just can't do this."

Deacon clenched his jaw and stepped away from Rayna, nodding systematically with every step before he turned around and began to walk away. Rayna went to speak but couldn't make a sound.

"Do y'all know how unprofessional this is?!" Juliette exclaimed, huffing as she stepped from one foot to the other. "I mean, how's anyone supposed to take me seriously if I can't even manage to do a sound check on time?!"

"Well done. You've successfully made their drama your drama." Liam murmured, smiling awkwardly as they watched Deacon walk towards them. "Look out, I think we might've pushed them too far."

"You pushed them to far." Juliette shot.

"Get out of my way!" Deacon fumed, pushing past Liam and Juliette as she swore at Liam. Juliette caught Deacon's arm and he whirled around.

"Hang on, where are you goin'?" Juliette squealed, stumbling forward as she struggled to pull him to a stop.

"I dunno. But it sure ain't gonna be that stage right now." Deacon shrugged, walking backwards.

"What the?! Deacon, you're leavin' me here? What am I supposed to do?" Juliette tried, looking from Rayna to Deacon. "We've got a song…sound check….right now."

"Pretty sure Liam can handle it." Deacon countered, turning on his heel before he flew down the stairs. "I need some air."

"Deacon!" Juliette called. The only response she got was the heavy slam of an exit door.

Rayna stood paralysed, the wind thoroughly knocked out of her body as Liam and Juliette turned their eyes on her. She didn't give them the satisfaction of meeting their gaze; it would only undo the frail strength she was holding onto. Juliette went to talk but an event co-ordinator appeared next to her and broke the silence.

"We're ready if you are."

**- NASHVILLE -**

Closing the front door behind her, Rayna welcomed the empty house. Teddy had the girls tonight, which meant that the night was hers. She had assumed that she'd be spending it with Deacon, but after his abrupt and angry exit from rehearsal she'd resolved to spending it alone. He'd made no attempts to contact her, he hadn't spoken to anyone. She'd lost track of the number of hours she'd driven around aimlessly, trying to figure out whether she should drive around to see Deacon or if she should leave him be. Eventually all the internal battling and frustration had worn her down and she'd turned around and gone home. She chucked her keys on the table next to the door and exhaled as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Rayna squinted in the direction of the kitchen and swore when she realised that the lights were on, she'd told Daphne to turn them off after breakfast this morning. She stormed in the direction of the kitchen and came to an abrupt halt at the door, gasping as she dropped her handbag at her feet.

"Um?..." She stuttered, steadying herself as she tried to hide the shock on her face. "What are you doin' in?...How'd you get in here?"

"Window in your music room." Deacon shrugged, sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter. "You never did care much for lockin' those things."

"You broke into my house?"

Deacon drummed his fingers on the countertop, a frown heavily set on his face. He pursed his lips, moving to speak but stopping just as quickly. Finally he looked up at Rayna who had slowly edged into the room. She was leaning against the counter furthest away from him, the one closest to the fridge.

"Ray, I don't know what you're afraid to tell me, and I don't know what it is you're hidin' but..." He spoke surely, startling Rayna as he broke the silence. "It doesn't matter…it doesn't."

Rayna nodded uncertainly, shifting on her feet as she listened.

He looked up at the ceiling and continued talking. "You and I, we take two steps forward and five steps back. We get caught in the current, sometimes it's like we let it pull us under, hell I know we let it pull us under…There's so much damn water, there's so much between us and I feel like sometimes we're drownin' in it, you know?…But to hell with it, it doesn't even matter."

Deacon stood up slowly, causing panic to fall across Rayna's face as he began to walk around the counter towards her. "I don't wanna be takin' five steps back again...Ray, I don't wanna lose you,."

"Deacon." She whispered, shaking her head as she forced herself to be quiet.

"What matters is you." He ignored her, walking steadily in her direction. "…and me…right here, right now."

Rayna smiled wearily, looking at the floor before she began to cry, every conflicting emotion running riot through her bones. She ran a shaky hand through her hair and gulped when she saw his feet standing in front of hers.

Deacon grabbed her wrists, and ducked to try and meet her gaze. "Hey, listen to me. You can tell me everythin'….or you don't have to say anythin'."

"I…" She tried, her bottom lip trembling as she looked up at him.

"But you can't push me away, you can't tell me you don't love me Ray." He whispered, stepping into her personal space as they kept their eyes on each other. "Because I don't believe it, that's the one thing I'll never believe."

Her breath hitched as she felt his body close, his words hanging over them as they stood in silence. Deacon let go of her wrists to let his fingers brush her sides and Rayna shuddered, his touch sending fire through her veins. She knew he was right, he knew he was right. Regardless of all that she was feeling; the things she couldn't explain and the things she wished she could forget, she loved him. She loved him, that was never not true.

"I love you." She whispered, shifting clumsily against him as she tried to focus on her words.

She tried mumbling but failed when she felt the weight of Deacon's body pressed against hers. Deacon raised his hands to her face and kissed her soft and slow. She sighed; tugging at his shirt to pull him nearer as she quickly forgot what she had been struggling to get out. Heat began to burn between them, his hands moving to her waist as the kiss deepened. Gently, he picked her up; stumbling backwards out of the kitchen towards the dark while her lips collided with his. He took two right turns and they found themselves at the end of the hallway headed for her hideaway, her sanctuary, her music room. Deacon sent them crashing through the door. Rayna chuckled when he dropped his head to let his lips travel along the edge of her jaw. His breath on her skin sent shivers down her spine and she loved the way he held her. He was making it more than clear that he had no intention of slowing down.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Rayna let her gaze wander from the door to where she and Deacon sat. They'd been this way for a long while, nestled on the lounge while Deacon lazily strummed a guitar. He hadn't been playing anything in particular; he'd simply let his fingers lead, moving from one melody to the next. She smiled as she savoured the moments just gone by. His lips on her lips, his body above hers, the way he had made her forget who she was when he'd touched her, and the rush that had surged through her body when he'd called her name. Rayna wanted to feel it all over again. Deacon cleared his throat and Rayna snapped her head in his direction, suddenly aware that he was watching her.

"You ok?" Deacon grinned, still playing the guitar gently as he looked down at her. "I think I lost you for a second there."

"Mmmm." Rayna hummed, smiling awkwardly as she tried to stop herself from blushing.

"What were you thinkin' about?"

She pulled away from him slightly and focused on the music, ignoring his question as she changed the subject. "Sing to me."

Deacon chuckled, nudging her lightly as she mumbled pleases and thankyous. He didn't really feel like singing, he was too caught up in her smile. He was hardly coping knowing that she was thinking about him, about the love they had just made. He loved the way she was looking at him when she was pretending she wasn't. He loved everything about her. Deacon still couldn't place what had been wrong with Rayna earlier today; initially it had ripped at his insides when she'd shut him out. He hated being shut out, he hated not being able to be there for her when she clearly needed him. It didn't make any sense to him, her not letting him in. In the heat of the moment he'd stormed off, not that that had done any good. It had only made him angrier, or maybe it had just confused him. He really didn't know. Deacon had let his emotions run circles around his head until everything became a mess again. It was then, when he'd been lying on his couch that he realised he didn't care. This was ridiculous. Whatever she was or wasn't telling him, it didn't matter. All that mattered was now, this, them, her. She was what mattered most. Rayna. That's why he'd stormed out in the first place, he'd stormed out because he cared about her. She leant back into the lounge and sung sweet nothings as he changed the tune smoothly, his fingers finding a new melody. Deacon looked at her affectionately and she caught her breath.

"What?" She whispered self-consciously, tugging at the button up shirt she had pulled on just now.

"Nothin'." He grinned, leaning over to her as he stopped playing the guitar. She smiled and closed the gap between them, her kiss gentle and sweet. Deacon rested his head against hers and they looked at the ceiling. "Ray, this feels so good, it feels right."

"Mmhmm." Rayna nodded, squirming as his fingers trailed up her bare legs, teasing her as they began to edge under the hem of the shirt.

"I wish it hadn't been so long…I wish we hadn't waited. If we'd done this years ago…who knows, we might've had a family of our own by now."

Deacon sighed, letting the weight of the words sit in the air. Unthinkingly, he turned his head to kiss Rayna's cheek before his fingers found the strings on the guitar again. As he played he didn't realize that Rayna sat perfectly still, her eyes stinging as she willed the tears not to fall all over again.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Mommy!" Daphne screeched, jumping into Rayna's arms as she greeted the girls out the front of the house.

"Hey baby!" Rayna exclaimed, looking over her head to see Maddie pulling bags out of Teddy's car. "Hey hon!"

"Hi." Maddie called dryly, turning around to look at Daphne. "I'm not carryin' your stuff inside Daph."

"I know that." Daphne mumbled, letting go of Rayna to run back to the car.

"Don't forget those again." Maddie offered impatiently, pointing to Daphne's ballet shoes. "Last thing Dad's gonna wanna do is drive your stupid shoes over here because you forget them."

"You're not my Mother."

"Hey." Teddy warned, closing the driver door to walk around to the girls. "Stop…Daphne, get your shoes…Maddie, don't worry about your sister just-"

"-Worry about yourself…I got it." Maddie snapped.

Rayna stood wide-eyed on the front steps as she watched. Teddy looked less than impressed with Maddie's attitude and Maddie was aware of it. Daphne stifled giggles as Teddy told Maddie off and Rayna found it very hard not to follow her youngest daughter's lead. Instead, she bit her lip and pretended to be disappointed with Maddie's behaviour.

"Can you girls run inside…You're Mom and I need to have a quick chat." Teddy said casually, smiling at the girls.

"Bye Dad." Daphne chirped, kissing him on the cheek.

Teddy turned to Maddie to kiss her on the forehead but she cut him off, throwing a hand between them. "Mmm Mmm no, i know you're only wantin' us to go inside so you can talk to Mom about me."

"Love you, too." Teddy mumbled, watching Maddie storm inside before he could answer. Rayna raised an eyebrow as Maddie slammed the front door.

"A quick chat hey?" She asked, walking down the steps towards him as she continued speaking with sarcastic undertones. "What's she done now?"

"I thought I made my decision clear." Teddy seethed, crossing his arms as he overlooked Rayna's attempt to make a joke.

"Excuse me?"

"I thought I told I didn't want him around our girls." He continued, pulling out his cell phone. "But I guess I knew you'd disregard what I had to say anyway because that's what you always seem to do."

"What are you talkin' about?"

"These." Teddy spat, thrusting his cell phone in Rayna's face.

Rayna's stomach dropped and she swore under her breath when she realised what she was looking at. Teddy had a whole collection of pictures. Not just any pictures, he had pictures of the girls messing around and pulling faces with Deacon, photo after photo, smile after smile. There had to be at least a dozen. "I haven't seen these before."

"Really? I don't buy that for a second."

Rayna frowned, looking at him straight. "How'd you even get these?"

"Maddie's phone."

"You went through our daughter's cell phone?" Rayna hissed, now understanding where Maddie's attitude towards Teddy had come from. "No wonder she's angry-"

"-That's not even the best of it." He pushed, swiping through photos.

"I cannot believe we're doin' this right now."

"I wouldn't have had to go through her phone if she hadn't accidently sent this one to me." He said bitterly, holding up his phone.

Rayna pursed her lips, cursing herself for even taking the photo. It was the one of Deacon holding Daphne while she'd been asleep in the elevator. Maddie must've sent it to herself when she and Daphne had been going through her photo gallery at the airport the other day. Rayna made a mental note to change the passcode on her cell phone as she struggled to find the words to say.

"When was this?"

"I. Um…last week."

"Last week? So y'all were playin' happy families out on tour too?"

"Teddy, you need to back off...He was offerin' to help me get her up to a hotel room, not that I have to explain that to you...That's hardly happy families, it's called carin' and bein' considerate...maybe you should try it sometime."

"I don't want him anywhere near our daughters." Teddy demanded, shoving the cell phone back into his pocket. "Not Daphne…and I sure as hell don't want him anywhere near Maddie."

"Oh please, you really need to stop with this." Rayna scoffed, raising a hand.

"You didn't want them anywhere near Peggy and I honored that." He countered, pointing a finger.

"This is not your call."

"I honored that Rayna."

"You were havin' an affair! An affair, you know, you were sleepin' with Peggy Kenter while we were married….remember?"

"And you weren't doin' the same thing with Deacon? Come on Rayna!"

"Actually no, this is just _you_ we're talkin' about."

"Maybe you weren't sleeping with him…But emotionally…You were havin' an affair the entire time that we were married, you and Deacon-"

"-Keep your voice down! The girls will hear you!" Rayna hissed, looking over her shoulder.

"Our whole marriage, you _always_ chose him-"

Rayna took a step back towards the house, crossing her arms as she spoke. "-Don't you try and re-write history…Daphne was not exactly born out of a shell of a marriage."

"Rayna."

"No Teddy, you don't get to make accusations like that. You know and I know that we married each other because we loved each other…We didn't do it because we had to, you chose me and I chose you."

"You know I'm right Rayna."

"We loved each other…but Teddy, that changed…not just for me, for you too…You and I, we're both to blame." She continued, anger in her words. "Both of those girls…_both_ of them you hear me, they're always gonna be your daughters….But you thinkin' that you can come here and dictate what my life's gonna look like, who I'm gonna see, what I'm gonna say, what I'm gonna do…You're delusional."

Teddy swore under his breath and turned on his heel, promptly heading for the driver's door. Rayna didn't bother saying goodbye, she simply kept a cold, hard stare as she watched him pull out the front gate. Rayna was relieved to see him go, she was glad to be alone again, even if it was only for a few moments. Standing on the front step, she was counting on the quiet to bring some comfort as she tried to pull herself together. She wanted to forget the whole thing. Rayna hadn't counted on Maddie standing awkwardly on the other side of the front door. She'd heard the whole argument.


	24. Chapter 24

**NB: THANKS be to each reader and reviewer, you are definitely some of my favourite humans...PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/FAVOURITES/FOLLOWS/HOPES/FAVOURITE LINES/PMS & WHATEVER ELSE COMING...I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate that you are still standing by this story, thank you again...enjoy chapter twenty four.**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR**

**Next day…**

"So…What are you wearin'?" Deacon asked playfully. He grinned when he heard Rayna chuckle through the phone.

"What?! Now or tomorrow night?"

"Now."

"Clothes." She said smugly, holding her cell phone up to her ear with one hand while she used the other to sift through dresses hanging up in the walk in wardrobe.

"Feel like expandin' on that answer of yours?"

"Mmmm." She hummed, looking down at her outfit as she frowned. "Hate to disappoint…but I'm wearin' sweat pants and an old tour t-shirt, the one from the 07' tour…Definitely not the kind of thing that'd turn you on I'm sure."

"Darlin', you clearly have no idea what you do to me…sweat pants or not."

"Sweat pants or not, hey?" Rayna laughed, squinting at a dress that she'd pulled out.

"Mmhmm…You look good in anythin'…or nothin'…Either way Ray, I find it damn hard to take my eyes off you." He replied, his voice husky and low.

Rayna blushed as she blew a loose strand of hair out of her face. "Well that there is a way to get a girl all hot and bothered Deacon Claybourne."

Deacon chuckled. "I try…"

"Well you better quit it, because it's hardly fair you doin' this to me when you're not even here to finish what you start." She grinned at the silence that hung on the line. He was no doubt trying to find something quick-witted and punchy to say.

"Who says you're the only one _sufferin'_? You got me started the moment you answered that phone of yours."

Rayna chortled, dropping down to the floor to straighten pairs of shoes on a rack.

"What are you doin' tonight?"

"Spendin' the night with the girls."

"Well that's kinda what I was hopin'…I was wonderin' if I could bring over some of _my_ bolognese tonight, you know, edible food...and we could try it again?" Deacon asked casually, hiding the uncertainty in his tone. He wasn't sure how Rayna would react. "Some _home cooked_ food, music, the girls, us."

Rayna exhaled as she crouched on the floor, leaning on her knees as she looked around the wardrobe. "Babe, as much as I think that's great-"

"-You think it's a stupid idea…You're right, don't even worry about what I said-" Deacon interjected, immediately regretting bringing it up in the first place.

"-I wasn't sayin' that it's stupid…I love the idea, although I'm not sure how I feel about you makin' fun of my cookin', that's just rude…It's just that after last time and…"

"Teddy."

"Yeah, and Teddy."

"He's not likin' this whole thing between us, I get it Ray."

"I guess you could say that, yeah." Rayna nodded, cocking her head as she turned her attention to the shelves next to the shoe racks. She pulled at the bags, the photo albums, hats and baskets that concealed an old metal box. Rayna pulled the box to sit at the front of the shelf. She'd forgotten she'd put it there. It had collected dust keeping her old letters, songs, photographs, article clippings, certificates, other odd ends and secrets safe. Rayna wavered at the thought of how much history sat in that box, how many memories it held onto for her, good and bad.

"Ray? You still there?"

"Hmm?" She murmured, suddenly remembering that Deacon was on the other end of the line. Rayna cleared her throat and spoke. "Um, I guess you could say he's not likin' it because he has issued a temporary restrainin' order."

"He's what?!"

"Mmhmm, I'm thinkin' no dinner plans for us tonight, or nights to come...This thing clearly says I'm not allowed to have the girls within a hundred feet of you."

"Rayna that's crazy, are you kiddin' me?!" Deacon fumed, pausing before he continued. "You know I love those girls…I wouldn't ever do anythin' to hurt them."

"Babe I know that….But you know, I think he's hurtin' in all of this too…I guess it's his way of retaliatin' against the whole 'you and me' thing...I'm tryin' not to think about it."

"He's a piece of work, I'll give him that..." He said curtly before quickly adding. "You'd better tell me that this restrainin' order doesn't stop me from seein' you, because if it does Teddy's got another thing comin'."

Rayna smiled as she began to gather the things she'd pulled off the shelf. "Nope, it doesn't say we can't see each other."

"But I take it we won't be seein' each other tonight?"

"We're gonna have to raincheck."

"The way things are goin' I'm thinkin' I may as well just settle on the fact that I'm gonna have to wait till the damn CMA's to see you."

"You do know that's tomorrow night, that's not too far away." She grinned, secretly pleased that he hated being apart from her. "Besides, you should be happy Juliette didn't fire you after your _little exit_ from rehearsal yesterday…That's what you should be thinkin' about, you're seriously one lucky guy."

"Mmmm." Deacon shrugged. "She's had her fair share of tantrums, it's like a normal, everyday thing…What can I say, I guess workin' with her has rubbed off on me…"

"I hope not…I don't think I could handle havin' another Juliette around. One is enough."

He laughed. "Yeah well, I was just wantin' to see you sooner is all."

"I'm not sayin' that that can't happen."

"Really?" Deacon hummed.

"Mmhmm." Rayna replied, her voice sultry and low. "And who knows, we might be able to do somethin' about sayin' goodbye to these sweat pants in exchange for a little somethin' else."

Deacon chuckled and Rayna smiled, feeling lightheaded and giddy as he spoke. "Ray, I am willin' to be the taker of those sweat pants and the giver of a little somethin' else if you'll let me."

"Alright now, you and I, we need to stop." Rayna giggled, slowly pushing the tin box towards the back of the shelf. She began to put back the things she'd pulled out of the shelf, carefully placing them around the box as she continued.

"Is that what you want? You want me to stop?"

Rayna shook her head. "Wanna know somethin'?"

"What?"

"I'd be lyin' if I said I wanted you to stop."

"Thought so." Deacon chuckled, his tone smug.

"And I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't love you right about now, I love you-"

"-Mom?!" Maddie called, leaning against the doorframe to the walk in wardrobe. She watched Rayna jump as she promptly ended the phone call.

Rayna swore under her breath as she whirled around to look up at her eldest daughter staring down at her. She smiled, taking on a cheery tone. "Hey hon!"

"Who was that on the phone?" Maddie asked, pointing at the cell phone in Rayna's hand. "Who were you talkin' to just now?"

Rayna raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. "Bein' nosy ain't gonna do you any favours Maddie Conrad, I thought your Father and I taught you that..."

"I wasn't bein' nosy, but I heard what you said."

"You heard what I said?" Rayna asked, suddenly panicking that she had heard the less than kid friendly back and forth banter towards the end of the call. She cringed just thinking about it.

"Um yeah, it was a little hard to miss. You said _I love you_."

"Maddie." Rayna sighed, squeezing her eyes shut._ Out of all the times to appear at the door, it had to be now. This is the last way I wanted you to find out about Deacon and I. _

"Mom." She mimicked, imitating Rayna's voice. Rayna ignored the attitude and turned her attention to the remaining photo albums and baskets sitting around her. Maddie frowned. "What are you…Why are you even sittin' in here?"

"I was just-" Rayna squeaked, subtly trying to stuff the baskets back into the shelf while Maddie bent over to try and get a better look at what she was doing. Abruptly, Rayna stood and gracelessly pulled a dress off a rack. "I was just lookin' at some dresses...I love this."

"I don't like that one."

Rayna frowned. "You don't?"

"No, I really don't."

"Well…"

"You might've been lookin' at dresses, but you were also talkin' on the phone…while you hid in a closet."

"Mmhmm...What?! No, I wasn't hidin'."

"Ok, but you were definitely on the phone." Maddie argued, offhandedly waving at the cell phone. "Were you talkin' to Deacon?...That's who was on the phone wasn't it?"

"What?! Why would you say somethin' like that?" Rayna managed, trying her best not to let her facial expressions give her away. She'd just said Deacon's name hadn't she?

"I dunno, I was just guessing. Relax." Maddie lied, recalling the conversation she'd overheard yesterday between her Mom and Dad.

Rayna exhaled and looked around the wardrobe. "Why don't we go sit?"

"I don't wanna go sit." Maddie mumbled, reluctantly following Rayna out to the master bedroom. "Sittin' means you're gonna come up with some lame excuse and not tell me what's really goin' on…"

Laughing nervously, Rayna looked from her fingers to her daughter as they sat together. Maddie stared at her blankly, unnerving her further. She took a deep breath and finally broke the silence. "You see sweetheart, Maddie, you're right…I was, it was Deacon I was talkin' to."

"I was right?"

"Yeah, you were."

"Ok." Maddie said slowly.

"There's also somethin' else I want you to know." Rayna smiled, picking at loose threads on the bedspread. "I want you to know that Deacon and I are seein' each other now, we're together."

"Like dating?"

"Like datin'."

"I don't understand. How long have you been dating? Is it like since you and Dad told Daphne and me you were getting a divorce? Earlier? Later? What? I don't get it, is it like Dad and Peggy?…" Maddie spoke, confusion written on her face.

"Maddie no, It's not like that…Deacon and I, it's not like that at all." Rayna tried, noticeable stumbling over her words as she tried to piece together where all of Maddie's questions where coming from. "You might not understand it, but things are different now."

"Different like you and Dad gettin' a divorce."

"Hey, this has nothin' to do with me and your Father honey." Rayna answered smoothly, trying not to let Maddie's harsh delivery of words affect her. "I'm datin' Deacon because we care about each other."

"But you broke up with him right? You dated him just before Dad and then you married Dad, you got a divorce and now you're dating him again…How is that carin' about someone?"

"Look…." Rayna sighed, traces of a warning to her tone as she gave Maddie a look.

"Ok sorry, I know that was rude." Maddie grimaced, pulling at her school skirt as she talked. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think I get it...The whole Dad being so mad the other night when we were all playing songs together…He didn't want Deacon here did he? Because you're datin' him now?"

Rayna shook her head, taking a deep breath as she smiled at her daughter. She didn't want to talk about this anymore. "You know what?...The thing's we're talkin' about…it's stuff you really don't need to be worryin' yourself with."

"But I wanna know."

"Hon, this is super grown up stuff that you're talkin' about with me…" She reiterated, grasping her hands together. "And it's also private-"

"-So you don't wanna talk about it because I'm just a kid…I'm thirteen, you know, I'm not a kid-" Maddie shot, giving Rayna a look.

"-_So _I need you to trust that when I think you're old enough…that's when you and I will talk." Rayna corrected.

"This isn't fair." Maddie mumbled, crossing her arms as she broke eye contact with Rayna.

"Hey." Rayna murmured, reaching out a hand. "I love you Maddie."

"Like you love Deacon?" She shot, cocking her head as she looked at Rayna.

"No…" Rayna smiled softly, pulling a resistant Maddie into her arms. "Because I know with everythin' in me that I love you so much more."

**NASHVILLE -**

"What are you doin'? You're crazy!" Rayna exclaimed, closing the front door behind her. She hugged herself when the night air struck her bones. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Restrainin' order or not, I wasn't gonna let this go to waste." Deacon beamed, holding up a dish. "Y'all may as well eat it."

"You cooked us dinner?"

"I told you I cooked."

"I didn't think you were serious."

"Well actually, I'm protectin' the girls from food poisonin' is what I'm doin'." He laughed. "I'm also wantin' to prove that I actually have those girl's best interests at heart."

Rayna stomped her foot and swore at him. "I'm not that bad a cook, why do y'all say that?!"

"I ain't gonna answer that."

"Babe, you really can't be here." She sighed, hating the fact that she had to send him away. She wanted him to stay.

"I know…but I didn't come here just in the name of food…I was kinda wonderin' if I could take a quick moment to ask you somethin'…I didn't really wanna be askin' you over the phone." He smirked.

"Ok," She agreed, looking behind her at the door when she heard Daphne singing at the top of her lungs. "But you need to be quick, those girls are gonna come flyin' out that door any second I swear."

"Will you be my date?" He asked boldly.

"I thought we were already datin'?"

"Tomorrow night." He clarified, walking up the steps to be closer to her. "Rayna, will you let me be your date for the CMA's tomorrow night?"

Rayna smiled, taken aback by the request. She tried talking but she couldn't find the words so she settled for nodding as he took it as a cue to lean in and kiss her.

"So that's a yes?"

"Um yes, I mean no, I mean hang on." She stuttered, holding a hand to her head as he frowned.

"Ray if you don't-"

"-No no no. It's not that I don't want to…It's just…Can you let me talk to the girls about it first?" Rayna reasoned, clapping her hands as she spoke. "They need to be ok with this, I don't wanna be puttin' them in a situation they're not comfortable with."

"Yeah, I'm sorry…of course, I should've thought about that. I understand."

"Thank you, really."

"We don't have to go together-" He tried, adjusting his hold on the spaghetti dish.

"-What? No!" She exclaimed, cutting him off mid sentence. "You know there's no way I wanna go with anyone else."

"Ok then." He beamed, holding out the dish to her. "I better be goin' then, somethin' about a restrainin' order preventin' me from bein' around here…It's total bull."

"Mmhmm." She grudgingly agreed, taking the dish before he began to walk down the steps. Rayna didn't want him to go, she felt her heart beating faster. "Wait."

Deacon turned around to find Rayna standing in front of him. He jumped at the surprise, causing her to let out a nervous laugh. He cocked an eyebrow, teasing her as he spoke. "I thought you said I had to go."

"You do." She said flatly.

"Right, so I'm gonna-"

"-I just wanted to say thank you for dinner first." Rayna grinned, standing on her toes to kiss him gently. Deacon groaned, startled by the contact as she leant into him. "There, now you can go."

He chuckled, walking backwards as he watched her lazily climb the stairs. "Hey Ray."

"Mmm?" She smiled, turning around to face him as she stood at the door.

"Those sweatpants are lookin' every kind of good on you."


	25. Chapter 25

**NB: THANKYOUTHANKYOU readers and reviewers for taking time to read BRAVE FACE. It's taken a little longer to update this and I apologise, I wanted to make sure that the building up in this chapters is right and I needed time to make sure that the chapter was reader-worthy..PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/FAVOURITE LINES OR MOMENTS/HOPES/PMS/COMMENTS AND WHATEVER ELSE COMING...I really appreciate every single one...with my babbling over, enjoy chapter twenty five.. **

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**CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE**

"Chocolate or strawberry?"

"Neither."

"Neither!?" Rayna exclaimed, stepping back from the freezer to look at her daughters. "What is the world comin' to? Y'all love ice-cream."

"I don't eat it." Maddie muttered as she sat on a stool next to Daphne.

"Since when?" Rayna frowned.

"Since I don't."

"Yeah you do." Daphne smirked, leaning away from Maddie as she spoke. "…What about the other night at Dad's-?"

"-Seriously, shut up." Maddie breathed, glaring at her younger sister.

"You're being stupid..." Daphne shook her head. "You're just mad because you couldn't go to Tahlia's-"

"-You know what?! You're-"

"-Hey, come on girls…" Rayna sighed, closing the freezer door with her elbow as she put both tubs of ice cream on the counter. "I know y'all want some…chocolate or strawberry?"

"Mmm…both." Daphne nodded.

"How'd I know you'd say that?" Rayna smiled.

"You're so gross, aren't you full?" Maddie asked, leaning on the counter as she watched Rayna fill a bowl with ice cream. "You ate double what I ate for dinner. That's disgusting."

"You're disgusting." Daphne mumbled, eyes wide as she watched Rayna put a big bowl of dessert in front of her. "Mom, you know what? Your dinner, it actually tasted real good."

Rayna chucked the ice cream scoop in the sink. "It did, didn't it?"

"That's coz she didn't cook it…_Deacon did_." Maddie smirked.

Daphne's face lit up and she nodded. "That explains _a lot_. Wait, how did he cook it? He's not even here."

Rayna looked at her eldest daughter, her expression straight. The girls weren't aware about the restraining order, but Maddie had a look on her face that made Rayna think she might have been wrong.

Maddie shrugged and opened the strawberry ice cream tub. She put a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. "That's whose car was out front, right? It was Deacon's…"

"How'd you even?..." Rayna started. "He was only droppin' dinner-"

"-You guys, I don't care who cooked it…But I do know that's what I'm eating tomorrow night, and the next night, and the night after that." Daphne chimed, breaking the conversation between Rayna and Maddie. "It tasted amazing!"

"But we're stayin' at Aunt Tandy's tomorrow night…You can't eat that if we're not even here." Maddie made a face.

"Yeah I can," Daphne cocked her head as she had a mouthful of ice cream. "I'll just take it with me, duh...Mom, I can take my own dinner right?"

"Hon, if you really wanna be takin' leftovers to your Aunt's that's fine by me...Although, I have a feelin' she'll be orderin' pizza so you might change your mind very quickly."

"I'll just eat both..." The little girl sighed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "I'm gonna need a lot of comfort food while we watch the CMA's at Aunt Tandy's…Watching it on TV stresses me out. Mom, I dunno how you do it…all that waiting to see if you win…Don't you freak out?"

"How old are you again?" Rayna joked, clearly amused by her youngest daughter's stream of conversation.

Daphne grinned. "I hope you win."

"You said you wanted Juliette to win." Maddie smirked.

"No I didn't."

"Yeah you did, just before."

"So did you."

"You said it first!"

If Rayna had been paying attention, she probably would have been offended. She had been too busy trying to figure out the best way to approach the subject of the CMA's and Deacon. _It's now or never._ She cleared her throat, leaning against the counter in front of them as she absentmindedly stirred her melting bowl of dessert. Both girls looked at her curiously.

"Girls, there's somethin' I need to talk to you about."

"I didn't do it!" Daphne spoke quickly, shoving her spoon into her mouth to mask her guilt.

Rayna's eyes narrowed. "You didn't do what?"

"Nothing, I didn't do anything. Forget I said anything. What'd you wanna talk to us about?"

Maddie laughed, quickly biting her tongue as she watched her little sister turn bright red. Clearly this wasn't about the cordial stain on the carpet in the lounge room. Daphne had been dancing around the coffee table before dinner, intentionally dancing in front of the television while she sang at the top of her lungs. Maddie had gotten angry and tripped Daphne with her foot to shut her up. That was when disaster had struck. Maddie had gone to look for Rayna while Daphne scrubbed the carpet, but she stopped short at the window when she saw Deacon's car. The girls decided to keep it a secret and hoped that Rayna wouldn't find out.

Rayna decided to overlook it and sighed as she focused her attention back on what she'd wanted to talk about. "Ok…um…so tomorrow night is the CMA Awards."

"We know that already." Maddie shrugged.

"Right, and…" Rayna drawled, pushing the ice cream bowl aside. "Usually for events, things like this people take someone with them, you know, kind of like-"

"-A date?" The girls spoke in unison, both trying to read their Mother's facial expressions.

"Hang on, are you taking us?!" Daphne beamed.

Rayna cleared her throat again, trying her best to keep eye contact with both girls as she fumbled. "Mmhmm, just like that and no honey, I'm not takin' you…Uncle Deacon, Deacon has asked me to go with him to the CMA's as…_his date._"

"I knew it." Maddie hummed, looking into the melting strawberry ice cream tub as she smirked.

"Knew what?" Daphne cocked her head.

"Nothing, just listen."

Rayna pursed her lips, keeping her eyes on Maddie. "So I wanted you both to know that we're, Deacon and I are together, we're seein' each other."

Daphne's mouth dropped as she turned to look at Maddie who seemed rather disinterested. "Whoa, hang on...Deacon is Mom's boyfriend!? Like Uncle Deacon? We know him!"

"Duh," Maddie scoffed. "What else does seein' each other mean?"

"So you're like boyfriend and girlfriend now?"

"Mmmm, I guess, if that's what you wanna call it." Rayna nodded. "Girls, how do you think you feel about that? Deacon and me?"

"I…" Daphne piped up, leaning on her elbows as she looked at Rayna. "I like Uncle Deacon, I mean I like him a lot, why?"

Rayna looked at Maddie. She furrowed her brow as she forced out her words. "I dunno, I guess I like him…What do you want me to say?"

"Ok." Rayna exhaled, the tension relieved. "Because you know how these things go, events like the CMA's…People take lots of pictures and if Deacon and I go together, they'll be takin' lots of pictures of us and stuff like that."

"Like all the photos in the magazines." Daphne nodded, understanding what she meant.

Rayna smiled weakly, recalling the media circus that had gathered outside the girls dance studio a few months back. Rayna had scrambled to get the girls in the car, shielding them from the angry flashes and cruel remarks as they ran. Over the years, they had taken it in their stride; they were not strangers to the media attention that their parents attracted. However, that didn't mean that she liked it when it happened.

"Mmhmm, like that."

"-Mom, people are always takin' photos...You and Dad are like celebrities." Maddie shrugged.

"We're public figures." Rayna corrected. "People are way too interested in what's happenin' in our private lives…and I need to know that y'all are ok with this before I can agree to go to the CMA's with Deacon."

"Why?" Daphne asked.

"Because, y'all are what matters most to me is why."

"It's not like you haven't been to the CMA's with Deacon before anyways." Maddie clarified, looking at Daphne who looked confused. "Mom and Deacon, they used to date."

"What? When?"

"Before you and me were born."

"That's like forever ago." Daphne pondered, eyes wide.

"Actually, it was fourteen years ago. It was right before Mom and Dad got married…They dated for ages."

Rayna did a double take, puzzled as to where Maddie's edginess was coming from. She thought that Maddie would be happier that she was being honest about this, especially after she'd walked in on her when she'd been on the phone to Deacon that afternoon. Apparently not. All of Maddie's talk about Deacon, the little references and barbed comments were disconcerting. It was making Rayna feel a little uneasy, she couldn't figure out if Maddie was for or against the idea of her and Deacon. She decided to ignore it, stomaching the thoughts that were starting to circle.

"Well alright, enough of that." Rayna started quickly. "Are you done with that bowl of yours? You might wanna think about gettin' your behind off that stool and up to bed."

"But we didn't even get to watch a movie yet?" Daphne whinged.

"You know what honey, it's kind of late now that I'm thinkin' about it."

"Mom, it's only 8."

"Exactly, bedtime."

"It's Friday." Daphne shot, swinging back and forth on the stool. "When do we ever go to bed early on Fridays?"

"Sometimes I dunno who the parent is in this relationship." Rayna giggled.

"Please Mommy." Daphne pleaded, batting her eyelids.

"You did not just do that." Maddie shook her head as she laughed.

"Ok…" Rayna sighed. "_Only_ because it's Friday, that's the only reason I'm lettin' y'all stay up."

"Yes!" Daphne screeched.

"But if we're gonna be watchin' a movie…I'm gonna run upstairs and have a quick shower." Rayna grinned.

"What? Why?!"

"Because I'm the Mother and I want to."

"You take forever." Daphne grumbled.

"You really do." Maddie nodded.

"So do you two." Rayna raised her eyebrows, pointing at her daughters as she dropped the bowls in the sink. "It takes you ages to choose movies…I'll be finished way before you decide what we're watchin'."

**- NASHVILLE - **

"Mom! Daphne's bein' a complete hog down there with the TV remote…" Maddie called, pushing Rayna's bedroom door open. "And she wants to watch Princess Diaries again…If you think I'm gonna watch that stupid movie for the hundredth time you're crazy."

No reply.

Maddie ventured further into the room and listened; she could hear the water running. Rayna was still in the shower. She looked around the empty room and her eyes set themselves on the walk in wardrobe. Since she had overheard her parents arguing yesterday she'd been every kind of confused, unsure of what to believe about either of them anymore. She had thought they were arguing about her, and then she thought they were arguing about Peggy, but it didn't take long to figure out that they were actually arguing about Deacon.

That's what confused her, them arguing about Deacon. Maddie knew her Dad had been the one to have an affair, not her Mom. She'd found out the hard way when she'd seen him kiss Peggy after he'd said it felt right to be with her when Rayna had been out on tour. That had been a horrible day; she still wished she'd never gotten home early. Her Dad was the one who'd had an affair, yet her parents had argued about Uncle Deacon. Maddie thought back to the argument.

_Emotionally, you were havin' an affair the entire time that we were married, you and Deacon…you always chose him._

Maddie flipped the switch and the light flickered on in Rayna's walk in wardrobe.

_I don't want him anywhere near our daughters. Not Daphne, and I sure as hell don't want him anywhere near Maddie._

"Why not me?" Maddie spoke out loud, startling herself as she hesitantly took in her surroundings. Why did her Dad hate Deacon so much? Maddie didn't understand it; she always thought that Deacon was like family.

She wasn't even entirely sure what she was looking for, but she walked to the middle of the wardrobe and spun around, coming to a stop when she was facing the set of shelves her Mom had been sitting in front of this afternoon when she'd been on the phone to Deacon. Maddie's mind reminded her of what she'd walked in on.

_And I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't love you right about now, I love you. _

Until today, she'd only ever heard her Mom say that to her Dad. Today Rayna had said she loved Deacon and by the way she said it, Maddie knew that she had meant it. Maddie realised why Teddy got agitated every time she or Daphne mentioned Deacon, but it didn't explain why he seemed to hate him. She was sure her Mom hadn't had an affair; well she thought she was sure. Maddie didn't want to be wrong, she'd already lost respect for one parent's choices, and she didn't want to lose it for another.

Unable to stop herself, Maddie slowly dropped to her knees in front of the shelves; curious as to what Rayna had tried to hide when she'd unexpectedly appeared at the wardrobe door. She pulled at baskets, photo albums and hats until she sat face to face with a tin box. Maddie raised an eyebrow.

_Why would Mom want to hide this old thing?_

She jumped as the tin scrapped against the wooden shelf when she dragged the box out and set it on the floor. Pulling the lid off, she began to rifle through the box; letters, sheet music, photos of Daphne when she was a baby, photos of her first day of school, a marriage certificate, files, manila envelopes. Maddie frowned, letting her fingers linger over one of the envelopes. It had her name on it; there was one with her name and one with Daphne's. She assumed they just held more baby photos, birth certificates and those embarrassing kindergarten arts and crafts paintings. Maddie stared long and hard at the contents of the tin box scattered around her. Why would her Mom want to hide this box? It didn't make any sense.

Maddie looked at the wardrobe door and froze. She couldn't hear the water running anymore. Without thinking, she clumsily shoved things back into the box and put it back where she'd found it. She threw the hats, baskets and albums back around the tin box and hoped that Rayna wouldn't notice they'd been put back differently. Maddie switched the light off and awkwardly crept to the bedroom door, holding her breath as she heard Rayna humming away in the bathroom.

"Hey Mom?!"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not really in the mood for watchin' movies, I think I'm just gonna go to bed." Maddie fumbled, quickly hiding the envelope she'd taken behind her back when the bathroom door flew open.

"What?!" Rayna moaned, pulling the towel tighter around her body as she made her way around the bed and into the wardrobe. "You mean you're gonna make me sit down there with your sister by myself?! What's she wanna watch anyway? Let me guess, Princess Diaries?"

Maddie laughed uneasily, stepping from one foot to another as her fingers tightened around the envelope. "You're the one who said she could choose a movie."

"No! Come on! I should have just sent her to bed." Rayna cried.

"Mmhmm, well I'm real tired so I'll see you in the morning Mom. Love you."

Rayna frowned, stepping backwards out of the wardrobe to meet her daughter's gaze. Maddie was gone. "Alright, night honey."

She heard Maddie's bedroom door click shut and she shook her head, trying to place what had just happened. "What on earth?"

"Mom!" Daphne screeched from downstairs. "Hurry up!"

Rayna jumped, pulling the strings on her pyjama pants tightly as she made her way for the door. "I'm comin', I'm comin'!"


	26. Chapter 26

**NB: THANKYOU THANKYOU...every reader, each reviewer, you are all near and dear to my heart...PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/HOPES/FAVORITES/FOLLOWS/COMMENTS/PMS/F AVOURITE LINES AND WHATEVER ELSE COMING...I appreciate every single one...Just a pre-warning, you might want to take a seat...or grab an extra cup of tea for this little chapter...or both...with that said, enjoy chapter twenty six...**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY SIX**

"So...if Deacon's your boyfriend…" Daphne scrunched up her nose, tapping her spoon on her cereal bowl. "Do you, like kiss him?"

Rayna choked on her coffee, her eyes wide as she swallowed hard in an attempt not to spit the hot liquid everywhere.

"How about hold his hand? Do you hug him?"

Still unsure of how to answer her youngest, Rayna let out an uneasy laugh. "You're just burstin' with questions this mornin' aren't you?"

"Well, do you?"

"Havin' a _boyfriend_ is havin' someone in your life that you care about, someone you can talk to and share everything with…They care about you, you both care about each other…" Rayna smiled, tracing the rim of the coffee mug with her fingers. "It's not all about the kissin' and the cuddlin'…"

"Yeah, it is."

"Says who?"

"Like, all the movies…duh…Mom, you're like the worst girlfriend ever…When I get a boyfriend-"

"-When you get a boyfriend? Honey, you're not allowed to date anyone till you're 30."

Daphne made a face.

Maddie stormed into the kitchen, picked up a banana and walked over to the fridge.

"Good mornin' sweetheart." Rayna grinned, immediately sensing the tension bursting from her eldest. Maddie slammed the fridge door and shot Rayna a look as she turned on her heel.

"Where are you going?! Gianna and Pete are gonna be here any minute!" Daphne hollered, leaning back on the stool to get a better look at Maddie as she turned to walk away.

"Don't care."

"You love Gianna and Pete! They do Mom's hair and make up, they let us watch, and they do our hair-" Daphne babbled, looking from Rayna to Maddie.

"-Daph," Maddie hesitated, turning around to look at her. "I…don't care."

Daphne scowled, crossing her arms as she glared at Maddie. "Since when? We always watch Mom get ready."

"Yeah well, I'm not gonna be here anyways so there's no point hangin'-" Maddie shrugged.

Rayna's eyes shot in her direction. "-Hold up, what'd you mean you're not gonna be here? Of course you're gonna be here."

"I'm goin' to the mall with Tahlia."

"No, you're not."

"Yeah, I am."

"Says who?"

"Says Dad."

"Does your Father know that you're goin' to your Aunt's this afternoon?" Rayna raised an eyebrow when Maddie rolled her eyes. "So lettin' you go to the mall this afternoon is out of the question?"

"He said I could go, so I'm going...I'll just ask Tahlia's Mom to drop me at Aunty Tandy's straight after we're done. It's really not a big deal." Maddie shot, avoiding Rayna's disapproving gaze as she walked out of the kitchen.

"Maddie!" Rayna called, listening to feet clamper up the stairs. Almost on cue, she heard the slam of a bedroom door.

"Teenagers." Daphne muttered, watching Rayna nod her head in agreement.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Thanks for pickin' me up."

"You're welcome." Deacon grinned, kissing her before he shut the passenger door and hurried around to jump in the car.

"For some strange reason I didn't think you were gonna show."

"What'd you mean?" He scoffed, turning the key in the ignition. "Of course I was gonna show...I broke a restrainin' order to ask you to be my date, remember?"

Rayna smiled, her eyes unsure.

"Ray, I was like 3 minutes late, that's all." Deacon replied, answering her unspoken question. "I wasn't havin' second thoughts...All I could think about was seein' you here, seein' you now."

"I swear it was longer then that." She relaxed, intertwining her fingers with his when he reached out for her hand. Deacon pulled out onto the road and smiled at her. "Maybe it's because I was waitin' at home alone. Bein' stuck with my own thoughts never helps anythin'…Silence, waitin' and more silence. Who would've thought I'd miss Daphne runnin' up and down that damn hallway screamin' and carryin' on when I'm tryin' to get ready."

"They're at Teddy's?"

"At Tandy's."

"Right, well…I'm here now so you can stop worryin' about whether I'll show up or not."

"You are here."

"And I've gotta say, you look…" He stammered, pulling up at a red light before he met her gaze. His voice was rough and his tone sincere. "Ray, you look incredible."

Rayna blushed, smiling coyly as she pushed a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. "You don't look too bad yourself."

Deacon's eyes filled with awe, he was completely taken by the way Rayna was looking at him. He couldn't help himself; he leant over and kissed her on the forehead. They were really about to do this. In less than half hour he would take Rayna's hand and they would walk the red carpet, she and him together. He couldn't even begin to describe how that made him feel, his heart was hammering against his chest, he was sure he'd forgotten how to breathe. Rayna giggled, bringing his attention back to her.

"Guess what I got asked this mornin'?"

"What did you get asked this mornin'?" He chirped, changing lanes as he listened.

"Daphne I quote, asked 'If I like, kiss you'."

Deacon chuckled. "I hope you said yes."

"I didn't say anythin'."

"Nothin'?! I don't know if I find that amusin' or whether I'm offended."

"Hey! You get yourself stuck in that kind of conversation with a nine year old and _then_ get back to me." Rayna defended, throwing her hands up in the air.

"I take it the girls haven't had the whole birds and bees talk then," Deacon smirked, flinching as Rayna slapped him. "because that's always gotta be awkward for a parent, right?"

"Babe, I'm tellin' you that this was horrible…Question after question, one after another…I was sweatin' under the pressure."

"Ray, she's nine."

"Yeah well, nine year old's are a whole lot more intimidatin' when they're askin' about kissin' and cuddlin'...Just sayin'."

"To hell with it, if she asks me that question I'll be tellin' her the truth." Deacon laughed, making air quotations with his right hand. "I'll be tellin' her that '_I like, kiss you'_…and I love kissin' you, I also love doin' birds and bees kinds of things-"

Rayna shook her head incessantly. "-Don't you dare! There is no way in hell you'll be sayin' anythin' like that if I can help it…Not to Daphne, not to Maddie, I like to think that they're still all cute and innocent."

"So how's this gonna work then? Am I never allowed to touch you in public? Is that it?" Deacon smirked. "I mean, what if I get caught in a moment and I wanna kiss you with them sittin' right across from you?"

"I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Rayna jested, pushing his hand away when he teasingly ran his fingers up and down her arm.

"Mmmm."

Nosily, Rayna's cell phone rang, startling them both as the sound echoed through the car. Rayna fumbled to find where the noise was coming from in her purse and she answered it. "Hey!"

"If that's Daphne I want the damn phone." Deacon joked, reaching for the cell phone.

Rayna shook her head, leaning away from him as she grinned and mouthed that it was Tandy. "Hang on what?…say that again."

Deacon's expression changed, his smile disappearing as he glanced over at Rayna. He knew that something was wrong by the way her voice wavered, her words making little if not any sense.

"What'd you mean she's not there? She was…Tahlia…the mall…She was comin' straight over..." Rayna barely whispered, her face white.

Deacon swallowed hard, checking his mirrors before he changed lanes to do a U-turn. He didn't need Rayna to ask him, he already knew exactly where she wanted to be, and it wasn't the CMA's.

"Are you kiddin'? I'll be there as soon as I can." Rayna choked, whipping her head around as she tried to figure out where they were. She looked over at Deacon, his eyes set on the road ahead. Rayna smiled weakly, containing the sobs that threatened to burst forth when she realised that they were already well on their way to Tandy's house.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Sweetie, you need to calm down." Tandy breathed, clamping both hands on each of Rayna's shoulders as she spoke.

"My daughter is missing Tandy, she's missing..."

"I didn't say she was missing."

"Yes you did!"

"I said she wasn't here yet...We don't know for sure that she's missin'. For all we know, she's just bein' a teenager, hangin' out with her friends…I mean, I've been waitin' for the day when she'd choose her friends over comin' to her old Aunt's house anyway, so I really think she's fine Rayna…."

"Fine?! No one knows where she is, that's not fine Tandy."

"I told you that Daddy, Teddy and I could handle this. They'll be here any minute. Y'all are supposed to be at the CMA's right now, there's still time to get there if you leave now."

Rayna scoffed, shrugging Tandy's hands of her shoulders. "Well you can forget that, because I'm not goin' anywhere."

"I take it he's stayin' too?" Tandy quizzed, curiously looking over Rayna's shoulder at Deacon who was on the phone.

"Mmm, what?"

"Deacon?"

"Not now, I know that look." Rayna sighed, rubbing her forehead. Rayna knew just by the tone of Tandy's voice that she had a hundred and one questions, and she was in no way prepared to answer them. "I don't need you makin' comments-"

"-Not sayin' another word." Tandy interjected.

"Hey." Deacon called, ending the phone call as he walked over to the pair.

"How'd they take it?" Tandy asked.

"Don't tell me, I already know that I've pissed off the whole Country Music Association." Rayna cringed, wrapping her hands around her body. "But I can't be there tonight, I just can't."

"You can, you just won't." Tandy corrected, ignoring the glare that Rayna offered.

"Mmm, that was Bucky…Apparently, they've been able to swing it so that Juliette will sing her new single instead. That way, they'll still get a performance, but you don't have to do it. He's been able to explain the situation without givin' too much away. He said somethin' about this bein' super personal, somethin' urgent…that seemed to do it. He's told them you've sent your sincere apologies and hope to make it up to them someday soon…"

"Juliette will love that, singin' up on that stage by herself." Rayna chuckled. "They're not even a little bit angry? I'd be angry."

"Maybe a little." He sighed, smiling uneasily as he shifted his weight.

"I'm just gonna go drop Daphne down to the neighbors. They don't mind watchin' her for a couple of hours." Tandy offered, giving them privacy as she walked away.

Rayna thanked her and turned her attention back to Deacon who still stood awkwardly. "What?"

"Well, Juliette may be singin' up on that stage by herself, and Buck might've gotten you out of performin' tonight but-"

"-Oh Deacon I didn't even, you need to go…" Rayna interjected, already half pushing him out the front door when she realised what he was trying to say.

"I'm not leavin' you here." Deacon shook his head as they came to a stop on the front step. "If you're gonna be out there lookin' for Maddie tonight, I wanna help...I wanna be here for you Ray."

"I know you do," Rayna's bottom lip quivered, her words quiet and low. "but you've gotta be on stage in like 30 minutes so you need to go."

"Ray, let me help." He whispered soothingly, pulling off his suit jacket to wrap around her shoulders to stop her shivering.

"I think you've already helped enough." Teddy called, slamming the driver door of his car. Rayna jumped, her eyes shooting in his direction. "I think Rayna and I can take it from here."

"Teddy, stop." Rayna pleaded, hating the way that Teddy had chosen to greet them.

"Why don't you go and do your little show and _we'll_ look for our daughter, hey?" Teddy suggested spitefully, shoving his hands in his pockets as he stood at the bottom step.

"I'm only leavin' if Rayna asks me to leave." Deacon breathed, keeping his gaze locked on Rayna. "I sure as hell ain't doin' what you want, especially after you go and do somethin' crazy, like issue some restrainin' order. That's total bull, I mean, who the hell does that anyway?"

"A restrainin' order isn't enough-" Teddy started.

"-Babe." Rayna whispered, defusing the mounting tension between both men as she looked up at Deacon. "Just play the show for Juliette and then give me a call…I'll be fine, I just need to find Maddie is all."

"Rayna, I'm not leav-"

"-It's ok, really."

Deacon clenched his jaw, wiping his hand over his face as he exhaled. "Ok fine, but if you need me before I'm done with the CMA's, you call."

"I will." She nodded, leaning into him when he kissed her forehead. He stormed down the steps, deliberately pushing Teddy off balance as he made his way to his car. Teddy stared at her long and hard. Rayna shook her head. "Mmm mmm, you're the ass…You brought that on yourself."

"Alright," Tandy cleared her throat as she walked up the sidewalk and pointed off into the distance. "We'll split up…Teddy, when Daddy get's here y'all go that way. Rayna, I assume you're comin' with me since your ride just drove out the driveway?"

**- NASHVILLE -**

"I'm all out of places to look." Rayna panicked, looking at the scenery passing by as they drove. "Tandy, I'm freakin' out."

"We'll find her, we just need to keep calm."

"We need to call the police is what we need to do."

"You know that that's a bad idea...Especially if she's just hidin' at a friends house." Tandy answered, waving a hand in the air. "And you know that the press would have a field day if the police get involved."

"I know, but Tandy, she's my baby." Rayna wavered.

"Don't get mad at me." Tandy hesitated, looking over at Rayna who was looking out the window. "But do you think this has anythin' to do with Deacon? You know, Maddie suddenly decidin' not to show up at my house this afternoon?"

"What!?" Rayna spluttered. "What would make you say somethin' like that?!"

"A certain little someone might've mentioned Mommy's _boyfriend _on the car ride to my place." Tandy replied, letting out a chuckle when Rayna swore. "And given the history between you and Deacon that links to Maddie-"

"-No, I mean, how could this have anythin' to do with that? Maddie doesn't know about…No. This has nothin' to do with Deacon." Rayna faltered as she tried to sound sure of her answer.

"You know you could've told me, you could've told me that you're seein' Deacon."

"Like how you're seein' Bucky?" Rayna replied as she leant against the windowsill.

Tandy bit her tongue and made no attempts to meet Rayna's gaze. "How do you know about that?"

"Well, when your manager's cell phone goes off in a number of meetings and the caller ID says _Tandy_, you kinda catch on…" Rayna smirked, clearly pleased that she had the upper hand. "I mean, there aren't many Tandy's out there so…."

Tandy swore.

"You know what? I'm offended that neither of you let me in on your little love fest. How long?"

"How long what?"

Rayna scoffed, tapping her cell phone on her knee. "How long have you been screwin' around with my manager?"

"Screwin' around? Really? That is real mature, Rayna." Tandy shook her head as she looked at her mirrors.

"Is it a fling? Is it, what? What is it?"

Tandy hit the brake, pulling the car to a stop at a set of lights as she tried to figure out where they would go next. "I've been _seein' _Bucky since….well since we were in New York."

"New York?! Are you kiddin' me? Tandy that's weeks ago." Rayna screeched.

"Mmhmm, but don't scream it from the rooftops…Bucky and I, we're not like that, we're not people wantin' to scream about our personal lives and all the little details."

Rayna smirked, raising an eyebrow as she muttered expletives. "Well…"

"Well, what?"

"I didn't think you had it in you Tandy, goin' out and sneakin' around with a man...And here we were callin' _me_ slutty." Rayna smiled and watched Tandy as she stifled her laughter.

"What can I say? I guess it must run in the family."

Rayna's phone vibrated in her hand. Reflexively, she hit the answer button on her cell phone as soon as she felt it. "Maddie?"

"No, it's me." Deacon replied softly.

"Deacon, I've looked everywhere…I don't know-"

"-Not everywhere."

"What?"

"Maddie sent me a text message."

Rayna's mouth dropped, her eyes finding Tandy's as she spoke. "What'd you mean a text message? Where is she? Is she ok? Please tell me she's alright."

Deacon paused. "I think she's fine, and I think she's at my house…I dunno how she got there or why she's there, but the message said somethin' about her wantin' to know if it was ok to call Scarlett to let her inside so she could wait for me till I got home."

"Wait for you? What?! Why? She's supposed to be at Tandy's, she knows that." Rayna fumbled, running a hand through her hair.

"Darlin' I dunno what its all about, I'm just callin' you to let you know that's where I'm headed now." Deacon soothed.

"You are?"

"I'll meet you there?"

"I'll meet you there." Rayna nodded.

She hung up the cell phone and looked down at her hands. Rayna had no idea what waited for her when she got there, part of her didn't even want to know. She couldn't shake the bad feelings and the questions that had begun to bubble inside.

**- NASHVILLE - **

The headlights on Tandy's car made out Maddie's figure huddled on the front step of Deacon's house as they pulled up. Rayna flung the passenger door open, gathering fistfuls of her black evening dress in her hands to avoid tripping as she jumped out. She briskly strode across the road, a mixture of relief and dread filling her stomach. Rayna was relieved to see Maddie alive and in one piece, however her daughter looked anything but please to see her.

"Do you have any idea how much you scared me?!" Rayna asked, coming to a stop a good three metres from where Maddie was sitting.

Maddie looked at Rayna blankly, crossing her arms even tighter as she exhaled.

"What were you thinkin' not goin' to your Aunt's after you left the mall?" Rayna tried, hoping to conjure a reply. She remained silent. "Maddie?!"

Maddie looked over Rayna's shoulder, her eyes finding Deacon after he shoved his car keys in his pocket. Tandy stood at the front of her car, sensibly keeping her distance.

"What is goin' on with you?" Rayna whispered, her voice pleading her daughter to answer. Maddie looked at the ground.

Deacon looked at Rayna, her eyes desperately trying to get Maddie's attention as she threw her hands in the hand. He stepped forward, fixing himself at Rayna's side as he spoke. "Darlin'…Maddie..."

Maddie's head shot up immediately, acknowledging that she was listening to him. Rayna sighed; both hurt and frustrated that Maddie was disregarding everything she had to say.

"Your Momma, Papa, Aunt Tandy, your Dad, me…We're all been real worried about you." Deacon spoke kindly, his fingers brushing Rayna's side as he spoke. "You can't just disappear like that…otherwise you scare a whole lot of people, you scare all the people who care about you."

"I honestly didn't think it'd matter what I did." Maddie mumbled, kicking the splintering wood on the bottom step. "People say they care, but it's not true."

"What'd you mean?" He asked curiously, taking a step towards her.

"Mom and Dad don't care, no one cares…People just like lying, people are real good at lying."

"Maddie, remember what I said the other day?" Deacon tried, smiling hopefully from Rayna to Maddie. "You shouldn't be payin' any mind to things people say, your Mom and Dad…Darlin', they love you."

"Honey, I love you. I care." Rayna choked, Maddie's words tugging at her insides.

"No you don't." Maddie shot, shaking her head as she looked from Deacon to Rayna. "You don't care about me. Do you even care about Deacon, Mom?"

Rayna's mouth dropped, her breath hitching as she watched Deacon turn on his heel to face her. His expression was just as surprised and confused as hers.

"Maddie." Rayna faltered, taking a step towards her.

Maddie stood up abruptly, keeping her arms firmly fixed around her body as she sidestepped Rayna when she came closer. Her bottom lip trembled and she whispered, forcing the words out. "Am I the only one who didn't know?"

"Know what?" Deacon asked, his gaze shifting between Rayna and Maddie as he battled for their attention. When neither of them looked at him he turned to Tandy, his eyes asking his the questions. She threw her hands up in the air and chose to keep her mouth closed.

"Why would you keep it from me?" Maddie frowned, shaking her head as she pulled at her jacket.

"Maddie."

Rayna's stomach sank, her heart peddling faster than she thought possible. _Maddie knew, she knows._ She fought to find the right words amongst the little resolve she'd been hanging on to, but nothing of substance came. Rayna felt her eyes stinging, but she ignored it. _Don't cry. Don't._

"You...You haven't told him either?" Maddie whimpered, tears slowing streaming down her face as she gasped for air when she realised that Deacon had no idea what she was talking about.

Rayna covered her mouth with her hands in an attempt to hide her shock as her body began to shake. Her mind screamed. _This isn't happening._

"No one told me what?!" Deacon interrupted, now clearly frustrated that he'd somehow managed to get himself out of the loop of conversation. "Someone _please_ talk to me?!"

Rayna shook her head.

Tandy looked at the expression spread across Maddie's face and she swore, already knowing what would fall from her lips as she watched the scene unfold from afar.

Deacon shifted his weight and looked at Rayna, impatiently waiting for an answer. She didn't make a sound.

Maddie swallowed hard, her voice wavering as she broke the silence. "Mom, why didn't you?…Why would you never tell me that Deacon was my Father?"


	27. Chapter 27

**NB: Readers and reviewers, you are so generous and kind...I didn't realize so many were _still_ reading BRAVE FACE until I updated last...I want to send you all a big bucketload of thankyous...The reason I am updating sooner rather than later is purely because I am overwhelmed by your loveliness and I wanted to thank you...PLEASE KEEP YOUR LOVES/HATES/HOPES/FAVORITES/FOLLOWS/PMS/FAVORITE MOMENTS and WHATEVER ELSE COMING...I truly appreciate it...AGAIN, find a seat and perhaps a seaful of tea (or whatever kind of comfort you deem fit)...you might need it...enjoy chapter twenty seven...**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN**

"What'd you just? What?...No." Deacon breathed, his voice hoarse as his eyes darted between Maddie and Rayna.

Rayna looked at the ground and Maddie slammed her fingers across her mouth, suddenly aware of the words that had fallen from her lips.

Deacon let out an uneasy laugh and he kicked the gravel. He couldn't breathe, he realised he was gasping as his heart pumped faster. _This isn't true, Maddie's got it wrong. I'm not her Father. I can't be._

Rayna closed her eyes, hoping that if she left them shut long enough everything would go away. When she opened them again, she realised there was no such luxury. Deacon was staring at her, his eyes demanding answers as a growing heaviness and hurt shadowed his face. Rayna shuddered, drawing her arms around herself as she looked at him hopelessly. Her tongue was betraying her, refusing to make a sound as she desperately tried to speak.

Deacon cleared his throat, breaking the silence. He attempted to keep calm as he looked over at Maddie, tears running down her face. "Darlin', this has to be a mistake, I mean, why would you say somethin' like that?...This is-"

"-No, it's not a mistake…I found a, um." Maddie stuttered, trembling as she looked at Rayna's desperate expression. She swallowed hard and continued. "paternity test…and….it said my Dad wasn't my Father…You dated my Mom before she married him, right? So, I just thought that that meant that you had to be…"

Suddenly able to gather what had just happened, Tandy snapped into action, her feet moving quicker then she realized as she ran up the pavement. Maddie had unwittingly loaded a gun when she'd opened her mouth, and Tandy knew that the last place she needed to be was in the firing line. She tore through the tension brewing between Deacon and Rayna and threw an arm around Maddie as she smiled awkwardly.

Tandy looked down at Maddie, her voice stronger than she'd anticipated as she ushered her away. "Ok sweetie, I think you and I need to go get in my car right now."

"No, I don't-" Maddie started, looking back at Deacon and Rayna as Tandy practically dragged her away.

"-_Right_ now." Tandy reiterated, pulling Maddie tighter into her side as they moved. Reluctantly, Maddie walked.

Deacon and Rayna stood motionless, the silence knocking the wind out of their lungs as they struggled to look at each other. Maddie slammed the car door and Rayna flinched, feeling the anger in the air as she forced her feet not to move. Deacon had gone white, his breathing stunted as he tried to find push himself to speak.

"Is she lyin'?" Deacon asked, his voice barely a whisper as Rayna shut her eyes. "She has to be lyin', right?"

Rayna swallowed hard and clenched her fists, desperately trying to figure how to answer him.

Deacon shifted on his feet when Rayna didn't answer, setting his hands on his hips as he spoke. "Right now, I need you to tell me that it's not true. You need to tell me that Maddie's got it wrong. Ray, I need you to tell me that you haven't been lyin' to me all these years."

"Deacon." Rayna managed, her eyes pleading with his as he stepped back from her.

"You lied to me?" Deacon choked, his expression pained and confused.

"I, Deacon…it's not that easy," Rayna stammered, stepping towards him. "I didn't do-"

"-Yes it is, it is that easy."

"Deacon."

He gasped, running his hands over his face as he shook his head. "How is this even possible? I don't even…I."

"The fact that you're havin' to ask me that right now is a pretty good indicator of how it was possible." Rayna replied dryly, immediately regretting the tone with which she had delivered the words.

"Don't..." Deacon warned, shaking his head as Rayna looked at him guiltily. He stared at her straight. "Don't do that. You and I, we weren't together, remember? I was in rehab and you left me...You left me and got with Teddy."

"Of course I remember!" Rayna said angrily. "But the fact that you can't figure how this is even possible is not my fault Deacon."

"That has nothin' to do with you choosin' not to tell me that I had a daughter, that we have a daughter. I mean, why the hell would you choose to keep it from me?"

"Stop for a second and think about what you were like back then…When you drank, Deacon, you got violent, you got mean-"

"-I remember Rayna, I remember-"

"-Do you, do you really remember? Deacon you destroyed whatever the hell got in your way whenever you were drunk…I mean, come on, how many times did I come home and find my apartment completely trashed?!" Rayna interjected, throwing her hands in the air in frustration.

Taken aback, Deacon frowned. "This isn't thirteen years ago Rayna...I got sober."

"I know you did."

"I got sober." He repeated slowly, putting emphasis on the last word as he kept a cold hard stare.

Rayna shivered, crossing her arms against her chest as she spoke. "I know you got sober, but it took five times in rehab for it to stick."

"You're not answerin' me."

"I am answerin' you."

"No, you're not."

Rayna suppressed a sob as her voice wavered, his gaze unnerving her. "I found out I was pregnant and I told Teddy... When I told him, we decided to get married and do a paternity test after the wedding."

"You married him knowin' full well that the baby might not have been his? What were you? Why-?"

"-Deacon I, you were in rehab...you were in rehab...and you know, I did a lot of thinkin', I did a lot of talkin' with Coleman and Teddy, and I wanted to do what was best for your recovery…I wanted to do what was best for Maddie…" Rayna strained, her eyes pleading with his. "Don't you dare think that this was an easy decision…because it wasn't easy, it was the hardest thing I've-"

"-You decided to lie to me is what you decided to do." Deacon nodded his head, digesting each of his words as he spoke.

"I decided to do what was best for Maddie is what I decided." Rayna cried, her eyes moving to Tandy's parked car.

Sitting in the backseat with Tandy, Maddie's hands were firmly pressed against the glass window as she kept her eyes fixed on Deacon and Rayna, tears streaming down her face as she watched. Rayna's stomach fell through the ground. Seeing Maddie like this was close to unbearable, she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep it together. This was the last and worst possible way that Rayna could have imagined either Maddie or Deacon learning the truth. It made her sick just thinking about it. Rayna shuddered.

"What was best for Maddie? Or what was best for you?!" Deacon asked furiously, demanding Rayna's attention as she tore her eyes from the parked car to meet his gaze.

"Do not yell at me!" Rayna exclaimed, crossing her arms.

"I'm not yellin'!" Deacon yelled, swearing under his breath when Rayna shot him a look. He lowered his voice, recomposing himself. "I'm not yellin' at you."

"Deacon, I did what I thought was best…believe me when I say that." Rayna tried, her tone uncertain as she watched him struggle to hold back tears. "I never did it to hurt you."

"So she's mine?" Deacon asked flatly, scratching his head as he shifted his weight and looked at Rayna.

Rayna squeezed her eyes shut, exhaling before she finally met his gaze. "Yes."

Deacon shook his head viciously, his eyes burning as he began to walk backwards towards his car. Terror crossed Rayna's face as she watched him. Instinctively, she followed, struggling not to trip over the hem of her dress as she stumbled after him. Deacon made no attempt to stop as he turned on his heel, storming towards the driver door of his car.

"Where?!…Deacon, where are you goin'?" Rayna cried.

Deacon unlocked the driver door and yanked it open.

"Deacon?!" Rayna exclaimed, coming to a stop meters away from him when he refused to acknowledge her. "Deacon, please…."

"Honestly, right now Rayna, the last person I wanna talk to, the last person I need...the last person I wanna be around is you." Deacon faltered, looking up at the sky as he spoke. "I just need…I can't…I…I have to…"

"Deacon."

Without another word, Deacon jumped in the car and barely closed the door before slamming his foot on the accelerator. Desperately, Rayna tried to follow, but her knees threatened to give way as she watched the car speed off into the distance. It was no use, there was no way he was slowing down, there was no way he was coming back anytime soon. Rayna swore, throwing her hand to her head as she spun around in circles. She came to a stop as her eyes fell on Tandy's car. Maddie was trying to push past Tandy who was effectively blocking her attempts to open the door. She couldn't make out what Maddie and Tandy were saying because they were still in the car, but she knew they were arguing. Rayna was shaking, her mind reeling as she fought to control her emotions. Without thinking, she looked down at the cell phone she was clutching tightly and dialled the first number that came to mind.

"Teddy, it's me. Maddie knows."

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Maddie, wait!" Rayna called, stumbling out of the car after Maddie as she stormed up the front steps.

Tandy turned the car off and yelled out after Rayna, warning her to watch her step as she struggled to catch up to Maddie. The front door flew open and Maddie stopped short, caught off guard as she stood face to face with Teddy. Rayna froze, unsure of how their daughter would react. She had been silent the whole trip home, especially after Tandy had refused to let her get out of the car.

"Maddie." Teddy greeted softly, his eyes full of love and concern as he looked at her.

"Hey Dad…" Maddie greeted him sarcastically as she walked past him. "Hang on, that's not you is it?…But you already knew that didn't you?"

"Maddie." Teddy sighed, his eyes following her as she ran through the foyer and up the stairs.

The sound of a door slamming resounded through the whole house and he swore under his breath. Teddy turned around to see Rayna convincing Tandy that it was better for her to be with Daphne then to be here with them. He was grateful for that; having Tandy here right now was the last thing they needed. After a few long minutes of persuading, Tandy finally agreed and said her goodbyes, promising to bring Daphne around in the morning. Rayna breathed a little easier, turning on her heel after she watched the car pull out onto the road. She cringed when she noticed Teddy staring at her from the front door. She knew that look, he thought this was her fault.

"Don't, I already told you that it wasn't me." Rayna said wearily, walking up the steps towards him. "I didn't tell her."

"If it wasn't you, how the hell did she find out?" Teddy demanded.

"I dunno how she found out, but she did." Rayna replied, doing a double take when she noticed Teddy shaking his head in disbelief. "Hey, quit lookin' at me like I'm the enemy here. You and I, we need to work together…She needs _both_ of us to get her through this. We can't do that if you think this is my fault."

"I don't think its your fault." Teddy admitted, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I just, I hate not knowing what the hell it is we're supposed to do now."

"That makes two of us." Rayna smiled weakly, following him as they slowly climbed the stairs.

Teddy knocked on Maddie's door. "Maddie, honey…"

No reply.

Teddy knocked again. "Honey, can I come in? I know you're angry and you probably don't feel like talkin' to anyone, especially us, but please Maddie…please let me in."

They were greeted with silence again. Rayna frowned, looking up and down the hallway as Teddy stared at Maddie's bedroom door. Instinctively, he opened the door, confusion spreading across his face when he found that the room was empty.

"Where is she? Rayna, she's not in here." Teddy spoke quickly as he looked over his shoulder to look at Rayna. Rayna wasn't there. He whipped his head back and forth. His eyes caught sight of her turning the handle of a door further down the hallway. "What are you doing?"

"I have a feelin' she might be in here…" Rayna whispered, waving Teddy over as she walked into the master bedroom.

Reluctantly, Teddy followed her inside.

They weren't sure who noticed it first, but the light spilling out of the walk in wardrobe was hard to miss as it cast shadows across the bedroom.

Teddy knocked on the doorframe as they both looked down at Maddie. "Do you think we could come in?"

"Go away…" Maddie murmured. She sat huddled on the floor, her glasses tear streaked and her eyes red and swollen as she avoided their gaze. "I can't look at either of you."

"Sweetheart." Rayna whispered soothingly.

"Don't _sweetheart_ me, Mom…It's pathetic." Maddie shot, pulling her arms tighter around herself when Teddy and Rayna crouched in front of her. Rayna reached out to touch her cheek and Maddie swiftly brushed her fingers away, tripping over her own feet as she stood in an attempt to put distance between them.

"Maddie." Teddy spoke slowly, watching her back away from them. "We just want to talk-"

"-Well, I don't wanna talk to you." Maddie shook her head. "All you're gonna do is lie to me."

"That's not true." Rayna replied, steadying herself after standing up too quickly.

"I don't believe you! You've done a pretty good job of it my whole life!" Maddie yelled, storming down the hall to her bedroom. Teddy and Rayna ran after her. She picked up a backpack sitting next to the door and began grabbing anything in reach as she made her way to her bed.

"Maddie, what are you doin'?" Rayna asked, already knowing the answer to her own question.

Maddie paused, her hands tightly clutching the backpack as she looked at Rayna. "Were you guys ever gonna tell me? Was I ever gonna find out?"

Rayna froze, immediately biting her tongue to stop herself from saying the wrong thing.

Maddie swore, shaking her head in frustration.

"What did you-?" Teddy frowned, his head snapping up at the sound of his daughter's vulgar choice of words.

"-I beg your pardon!" Rayna exclaimed, hands on hips.

"I dunno why you're mad at me...you both say things like that all the time." Maddie shrugged, shaking her head as she looked at them.

"Hey!" Teddy warned.

Maddie rolled her eyes and continued throwing things into the backpack as Rayna and Teddy watched her.

"Honey, none of this changes the fact that your Dad is your Dad." Rayna stumbled, looking from Teddy to Maddie as she steered away from answering anything directly.

"Which one are you referrin' to right now?" Maddie asked dryly. "Because, apparently I have two."

"Don't be smart with me, you know exactly who I'm talkin' about." Rayna warned, pointing at Teddy as she spoke. "Your Dad, the man who has raised you these last thirteen years, the one who loves you and cares about you."

Maddie threw her hands in the air. "My Dad? Really Mom?! Deacon never got the chance to love and care about me these last thirteen years because you never told him the truth! So yeah…there goes that."

Rayna went to respond but Teddy shot Rayna a look, his eyes telling her she needed to stop whatever it was she was going to say. It wasn't worth it, Maddie was in no state to hear it.

Teddy stepped forward and tried to get Maddie's attention with his eyes. "Maddie, your Mom's right. I love you so, so much and care for you more than you could ever know…even if I'm not your biological-"

"So, Deacon _is _my Dad?!" Maddie cried, her eyes wide as her voice cracked.

"Well, honey yes, biologically." Teddy stammered, rocking on his feet as he watched Maddie shove things into her backpack.

"I knew it!"

"But I'll always be your Dad and nothing is going to change that…there's a difference between-"

"-You're more Daphne's Dad than mine, you love her more, right?" Maddie mumbled, cocking her head as she pursed her lips.

Rayna breathed uneasily, waving her hands around as Teddy nodded at her to take over. "Honey, he loves you the same way he loves your sister."

"I doubt that, I'm not even his real daughter."

"Maddie, it's _because_ we loved you that we made those decisions back then." Rayna tried desperately, aware that Maddie's backpack was getting fuller as they spoke.

"That's right-" Teddy nodded.

"-You know what I don't get, Dad?!..." Maddie cried, her eyes brewing with anger as she looked at Teddy. "How could you marry her if you knew that she was pregnant by somebody else?!"

Open-mouthed, Rayna was immediately silenced, Maddie's words hitting her square in the face as she struggled to find something to say. Did she just say that?

"Honey, we didn't know that that was the case." Teddy explained, disregarding Maddie's off comment about Rayna as she threw a stack of books into her backpack. "And I loved you Mother very much and I decided it didn't matter."

Maddie released the backpack, her eyes wild and tone furious as she looked up at Teddy. "You're sayin' it doesn't matter who my real Father is?!"

Teddy shut his eyes, immediately regretting his own words. "No sweetheart, that's not what I mea-"

"-It's exactly what you meant!" Maddie cried.

"Maddie, this is somethin' that's real hard to understand." Rayna jumped in, finally finding her tongue again as she stepped closer to the bed. "And this is, it was such a complicated situation-"

"-No, I understand it all just fine Mom." Maddie interrupted, gasping as she spoke. "It's simple. You lied to Deacon, and you lied to me."

"I-" Rayna started.

"-I can't live here." Maddie choked, looking at Teddy. "Can I? Daddy, I want to live with you."

"Honey, come on." Teddy sighed, knowing that this would tear at Rayna's insides.

"Maddie." Rayna pleaded.

"No, you've brought this on yourself." Maddie sobbed, zipping up her backpack. "This is all your mistake, my even bein' born."

Rayna ran a hand through her hair, wearily responding. "No, honey that's not true."

"I hope you're happy Mom." Maddie flung the backpack over her shoulder and stormed past them.

Teddy ran his hands over his face and Rayna panicked, her feet moving before she gave them permission to do so.

"Honey that's not true!" Rayna yelled, running in the direction of the door. She nearly stumbled over her feet at the jolt that came with Teddy pulling her to a stop.

"Hold on, hold on, hold on…honey-" Teddy whispered, loosening his grip on Rayna's arm when she glared at him.

"-What are you?! What?!" Rayna screeched, the volume startling them both as they looked at each other and caught their breaths.

"If she needs to work through it this way, we need to let her do this." Teddy offered.

"No." Rayna shook her head. "No, I can't…She…Teddy, I can't."

"You promised me that you'd do nothin' to harm my relationship with Maddie, and I'm promisin' you the same thing."

"How have I screwed everythin' up so badly?!" Rayna whispered, hugging herself as she spoke. "I can't lose her."

"Rayna," Teddy soothed, pushing a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. "You can't blame yourself for a decision we made together…We did this for Maddie, because we love her, it was the right thing…"

Rayna nodded, taken aback by Teddy's sudden concern for her and the kindness he was extending. "It doesn't feel like the right thing."

"Rayna, I promise you that you won't lose her. I promise."

**- NASHVILLE -**

Sitting alone at an empty bar, Deacon had his eyes fixed on the full glass of liquor sitting in front of him. He wasn't quite sure how he'd gotten here; one minute he was slamming the car door in Rayna's face and the next he was ordering a drink. He'd been sitting like this for a good while, his emotions unravelling the little resolve he had been clinging to as he absentmindedly stared on. His hands were cold and his heart was numb, shock sitting heavy at his core as his ears rang with the shattering confessions uttered hours before.

He had a child. Maddie was his daughter. He had a daughter and until tonight, he hadn't even known. All these years, everything he thought he knew to be true had been a lie. Rayna had lied to him; she'd flat out lied. What was worse was that she'd chosen to lie, she'd had the choice, and she'd lied to him anyway. Rayna had levelled every foundation they'd built over the last thirteen years in a matter of moments, leaving him to sift through the wreckage and ruin.

Deacon swore, reluctantly running his fingers around the rim of the glass as he stared at it long and hard. His mind flashed to the memories of tonight.

_I got sober._

_I know you got sober, but it took five times in rehab for it to stick._

He looked into the glass, ice clinking as the golden liquid spun. Right now, he wanted to drink it, taste it, he wanted to remind himself of what it felt like when it burned in his body. He wanted to drown the hurt that was torturing him, that was tormenting him. Deacon sighed. He wanted a lot of things, but did he really want this? Deacon shook his head, pulling his hand away from the glass.

His thoughts were disorderly and confusion clouded his mind. He cringed as an overwhelming pain and anger set itself on his skin. He'd tried to ignore it, but it was unbearable, refusing to stop as it crept into every part of his body. Rayna had lied to him, everything was a lie. He was barely breathing; his head was pounding and questions circled, demanding answers. He didn't know where to start, he didn't know if it was even worth trying to figure it out. This was torturous.

Impulsively, his fingers moved to clutch the glass tightly. Holding it inches from his face, he could smell the alcohol, taste it in the air. Deacon swallowed hard, hesitating as he inhaled deep. If he wanted to, he could drink this, he could drown every feeling and forget his sorrows, even if it was only for a short while. He could throw away thirteen years of sobriety, he could do what everybody expected him to do. This was what they expected him to do, right?

Repulsed, he pulled his face away from glass. Every part of him was pained; every part of him was in pieces. He would have given anything for someone, anyone to steal the hurt from him. Deacon looked down at the glass, he had two choices, he could stay or he could leave. He squeezed his eyes shut, every conflicting emotion running riot. Before he knew what he was doing, Deacon hurdled the glass across the bar and watched it shatter into tiny pieces as it collided with the wall right behind where the bartender was standing.


	28. Chapter 28

**NB: 200+ reviews...I am completely floored by your kindness, I am beyond grateful and appreciative for every single reviewer...Y'all are incredible humans...The song sung in this episode is 'I Will Fall - Tyler James & Kate York' - I do not own the song, copyright to the artist..PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/HOPES/FAVORITES/FOLLOWS/PMS/FAVORITE LINES & MOMENTS/COMMENTS and WHATEVER ELSE COMING...with that being said, enjoy chapter twenty eight...**

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**CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT**

"Of course." Juliette muttered, throwing her hands in the air when she saw a dim light escaping the windows of Deacon's house. "Why didn't I think to look here earlier?!"

They'd been mid conversation after their CMA performance and she'd looked down at her cell phone for a second, when she'd turned to meet his gaze again he hadn't been there. He 'd disappeared, gone without a word. She knew that he hadn't been himself tonight; he'd been cranky and agitated, and his mind had been on anything but the show. But quite frankly, that didn't change the fact that she was angry with him for leaving. Right now, she wanted to give him a piece of her mind.

"Deacon, you and I need to talk...I mean, what the hell was that? Disappearin' like you-" Juliette called, raging through Deacon's front door.

Shocked, Juliette stopped in her tracks, her tongue falling silent, as her eyes grew wide. Deacon lay sprawled in an armchair, absentmindedly staring into the distance. She couldn't quite make out the extent of the ruins around him but she noticed a few things; a broken coffee table, smashed crockery, lamps where lying flat on the hardwood floor, and then there was his guitar. His guitar was string less; it's body shattered and splintering. He didn't seem too concerned, which worried her all the more. Juliette exhaled and reluctantly stepped over the debris that lay between her and Deacon as she made her way towards him. When Deacon refused to acknowledge her, she held up the battered guitar, shooting him a pointed look.

"It was out of tune." Deacon grimaced, resting his head on his hand.

Juliette pursed her lips and nodded, gently putting the broken instrument down. "Well, you're too miserable to be drunk…so."

"Look at you, you've got me all figured out, don't you?" Deacon said dryly.

"Hardly," She smiled, shoving her hands in her pockets. "but I know enough to know that you're not drunk."

"No, I'm not…But right now, I might as well be." He shook his head. "I mean, what's the point? Maybe it'll make me feel-"

"-Hey!" Juliette interrupted, crouching in front of him. "Look at me…"

Deacon ignored her.

"Look at me." Juliette demanded, clicking in his face. Deacon looked at her. "…Deacon, what happened?"

"I have a daughter." He replied, blowing heavily as the words hung in the air.

"What?" Juliette asked, barely able to get the word out of her mouth. Out of all the things she'd expected him to say that had been the last.

He laughed bitterly. "Yeah, a daughter, a child…Juliette, I'm a Father…"

"Deacon." Juliette sighed, discomfort crossing her face.

Deacon looked at the ceiling, his eyes still red from crying. He exhaled uneasily. "You know it's funny, I used to always say that I got sober for myelf…In my meetings, when I was in rehab, to whoever would listen…that's what I'd say, that's what you're supposed to say."

Juliette nodded as Deacon sunk further back into the armchair.

"It was never true." He whispered, shifting agitatedly. "I got…I…I got sober for Rayna."

Juliette swallowed hard, closing her eyes as tried to get her head around what he was saying.

"It was her that kept me sober, all those years I was hopin' for that somethin' we had, hopin' for her, hopin' she'd let me be the man she had always needed, the one she'd always wanted."

"Deacon, she isn't what saved your life…you did that…_you_ got sober…_you_ did that, _not Rayna_." Juliette shook her head, her tone desperate as she tried to make him see her point.

"I was always hopin' for somethin' more, and then she finally told me she loved…she…" He stumbled, stopping the words that were forming on his lips. Angry, he sighed, clearing his throat as he continued. "It doesn't matter what I thought or what she said because everythin' up to now has been a lie."

"What are you talkin' about?"

"Maddie."

Impulsively, Juliette swore, already knowing what he was going to say.

Deacon smiled grimly as he looked up at her. "That's what I said."

"Deacon, I'm so sorry…"

"Thirteen years…thirteen years I've waited for Rayna and all along she's lied to me…I mean, not once did she ever say a word about any of it…What does that say about how she feels about me? What she thinks about me?...She couldn't trust me enough to tell me we had a daughter, she didn't trust me to be a Father…I was sober, _I am _sober…thirteen years, and…not once..." Deacon heaved, each word leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

"Listen, Rayna not tellin' you…That was her decision Deacon, not yours…You can't do this to yourself, you can't let it destroy who you are now, who you've become."

"Who I am? Who am I Juliette? Who the hell am I?...Make sure you add Father to the list…I'm a Father…I'm Maddie's Father…but then again, no I'm not because she's got Teddy…"

"Mmm Mmm…" Juliette shook her head. "You can't go down that road either."

Deacon swore, running his hands over his face. "I don't even know what the hell is goin' on….you know, nothin' makes sense to me…I hate it…Juliette, I just…I just wanna be alone."

"I might be pretty, but I sure ain't stupid…there's no way I'm gettin' up and walkin' out that door." Juliette said stubbornly.

"I'll be fine…"

"Well good, you can be fine and I'll be sittin' here on this floor. I'll sit here all night if I have to." She shrugged, ignoring his glare. "…because the last thing you need right now is to be alone…Deacon, I'm not goin' anywhere."

Deacon exhaled, noting that no amount of arguing was going to conjure a different response. "Why are you doin' this? Sittin' on my lounge room floor?"

"You need a friend." She smiled weakly, reaching for his hand to squeeze it. "….and I know that you'd do the same for me."

Deacon laughed, surprising both of them as he breathed a little easier.

"I'm starvin'...Where's the food at in this place?" Juliette looked around. "Or did you destroy your fridge too?"

Deacon smirked and pointed to his left. "There ain't a whole lot in my fridge…but there's gotta be a few cans of spaghetti in the cupboard above the microwave."

"Spaghetti it is." Juliette replied, jumping up as she followed his directions and walked out of sight. She opened the cupboard and pulled out the cans.

"I don't mind eatin' mine cold." He called, making her laugh.

Juliette's cell phone vibrated in her back pocket. Instinctively, she pulled it out to check it and she frowned. She could have sworn she hadn't heard it ring at all this last while. There were 3 missed calls and 2 voice messages. They were all from Rayna. Juliette dialled a number and put the phone to her ear to listen to her voice mail.

_Hi, it's me, Rayna…I um, I still don't really know why I'm callin' you exactly…but…I'm kinda desperate. _

Juliette cleared her throat, immediately looking around to make sure that Deacon wasn't behind her. She had never heard, or even imagined Rayna being in such a worked up state. Hearing her like this, it was disconcerting. Rayna's voice was strained; she sounded frantic and tearful all in the same breath.

_I was hopin' that maybe, you might've seen Deacon tonight…I've been callin' him, I've called…and I…I just…I need him to answer…so if you know where he is…please…please just call me when you get this…thanks._

Juliette hung up the phone, biting her lip as she exhaled.

There was no way she couldn't call her back. She had to call Rayna, she had to.

Juliette ripped open a can of spaghetti and emptied it into a bowl before sticking it in the microwave.

"Hey, I um…" Juliette called, hitting a few buttons on the microwave. "I've gotta use your bathroom…."

"Through the door to the left, opposite the bedroom." He answered.

Juliette locked the bathroom door and turning the sink tap on. She pulled out her cell phone and dialled Rayna's number. She fidgeted as she waited.

"Deacon?" Rayna squeaked, her voice desperate.

"Juliette." Juliette replied.

"Hi."

"Hi…"

"Did you get my messages-?" Rayna tried, avoiding what she actually wanted to ask.

"-I did, that's actually why I'm callin' you…He's fine..." Juliette sighed, tapping her fingers on the sink. "Deacon's here…well, _here _bein' his house-"

"-He is?...I'll come, I'm comin' right-" Rayna interrupted.

"-I don't think that that's a good idea." Juliette said grimly, preparing herself for a fight.

"What do you mean?! Of course I'm comin' over."

"Not tonight you're not…It's not, I really don't think it's what he needs right-"

"-Do not tell me what I can and cannot do…You don't know the first thing about what he needs, I've known him a hell of a lot longer than you…I know him, I know…" Rayna yelled angrily, the last words becoming a whisper as they got caught in the back of her throat.

"No ones denyin' that…but you've gotta know that drivin' over here right now isn't gonna do anyone any good…" Juliette reasoned, ignoring Rayna's obvious irritation with her as she swore.

"So you know then?" Rayna choked.

"Yeah, Deacon, he um, he told me." Juliette hesitated.

"Juliette-"

"-Whatever it is that's goin' on here…it's not my business, it's not mine to tell…I just want to help him, that's all."

"I just…I…" Rayna mumbled as she grasped at straws. Fear filled her stomach as she tried to speak. "Is he? Did he? Juliette, is he?"

"Drunk? No…" Juliette said straight, her words certain and sure. "Rayna, he'll be okay…I've got it covered, trust me…He just needs time…"

Rayna nodded, jealousy and frustration hanging heavy on her skin. She wanted to be there, she wanted be there for him. She knew Juliette was right, distance was what was best, but it didn't silence the screaming inside that told her to get in the car and drive over there. She hated this; she hated the mess and every wayward emotion that came with it. He probably hated her too. Rayna felt sick just thinking about it, she couldn't think about it.

"Thank you." Rayna replied, barely hanging up the phone before falling backwards onto her bed. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hid her face, finally letting the tears fall freely as she lay alone.

**- NASHVILLE -**

**Two days later…**

"You're sure about this? Announcin' your label tonight?" Bucky asked, looking up from his cell phone as people rushed back and forth backstage.

"Why wouldn't I be sure?" Rayna replied, clearly distracted as she searched through the faces that passed them.

"You don't have to do this, not tonight." Bucky spoke quietly, worry on his face as he watched her.

Her eyes were raw, exhaustion clinging to her skin as she put on her best smile. She didn't have to say a word, he knew she hadn't been sleeping; he knew she was barely holding it together, and he knew that it had something to do with Deacon. She'd tried to hide it, but it showed. These last two days he'd cancelled appointments without consulting her. Bucky knew she'd be angry about that, but he also knew she would thank him for it later. The only reason they were here now was because Rayna had fought him on it. Tonight was Scarlett and Gunnar's debut at the Grand Ole Opry and she was determined to be the one to introduce them. He'd finally given in, and now here they were backstage, waiting and watching.

"Announcin' the label alongside introducin' the artists I'll be signin' is the perfect thing to do." Rayna shrugged, still focused on people passing by. "Who knows, it might even shut Marshall up."

"He's not here." Bucky said bluntly, causing her to stop mid motion and look at him.

"Of course he's not here, you and I both know that Marshall doesn't come to these kinds of things if he doesn't have to."

"Just like you and I both know that I wasn't talkin' about Marshall…"

"Bucky."

"Rayna."

"I wasn't lookin' for Dea-"

"-Rayna Jaymes?" Someone called, interrupting their conversation before talking into a headset. "You're up next."

"Thank you." Rayna nodded, giving Bucky a knowing look before gathering her most convincing smile to walk up the steps and onto the stage.

Applause and cheering roared as Rayna made her way to centre stage. She let out a small chuckle when the audience made no attempt to quieten down.

"Look at this! Y'all are amazin', you know that?" Rayna grinned, holding her arms out as she embraced the applause. "I wanted to come out tonight because I want to make a very special announcement, and I wanted my friends here at the Opry to be the first to hear…I'm about to launch a brand new record label called Highway 65 Records."

Cheering and clapping fell onto the stage again as the audience roared with approval.

"This has been a life long dream of mine and I'm so excited about it…So with that bein' said..." Rayna smiled, looking to her right where Scarlett and Gunnar stood nervously. "I would like to introduce two very special guests that I have here with me…Please give them a very warm Opry welcome...They are wonderful, excitin', new artists who I've actually had the pleasure of collaboratin' with personally and I love them dearly. Their names are Scarlett O'Connor and Gunnar Scott."

Hesitantly, Gunnar and Scarlett walked out onto the stage. Gunnar smiled, nodding his head in thanks as he walked past Rayna to pick up a guitar lead. Scarlett stumbled into Rayna's arms, mumbling her thanks.

"Have you um, have you seen Uncle Deacon?" Scarlett whispered, terror crossing her face as she tried to ignore the applause.

"No I haven't." Rayna replied, noting the fear in her voice.

"He said he'd be here to see us."

"You know what? He's probably just hidin' somewhere." Rayna tried, squeezing her hands. "He's not so big on bein' in the spotlight...You are gonna be so great…go on, get over there."

"Hi." Scarlett greeted, giggling nervously as she adjusted the microphone on the stand and looked around the room. "It's such an honor to stand on this stage in front of y'all. Thank you so much for havin' us tonight."

"Thank you." Gunnar added, talking into his microphone. "This song is called I Will Fall, and we are Scarlett and Gunnar."

Everybody clapped, anticipation falling over the room as Gunnar began to slowly play the beginnings of what the song would become, his fingers moving effortlessly over the strings.

"I'm afraid to go up onto the second floor." Gunnar sang.

Scarlett stepped up to her microphone, looking over at him as they sung together. "If you wanted to work it out why'd you lock the door? I thought I was good at loving you, but our light went out when you wanted it to. I wish you the best, I'm headed west. It's all I know to do."

Looking on steadily, Rayna watched in awe. The way that their voices seemed to dance around one another, each dipping, spinning and gliding in perfect unison amazed her. It reminded her of when she and Deacon sang together. Pushing the thought out of her mind, Rayna found herself looking over into the wings on the other side of the stage. She gasped.

Deacon.

"I will fall, I will fall if you come around." They sung.

Rayna cleared her throat and fidgeted with her fingers as she talked herself into staying put. Her mind flashed memories of the last time she and Deacon had spoken. _Right now Rayna, the last person I wanna talk to, the last person I need, the last person I wanna be around is you._

"Just when I think my heart break has settled down." They continued, keeping the audience captive as they sang.

Rayna shook her head slightly, refusing to let her emotions prey on her. She realized she was shaking _He's here. Deacon's here. Has he seen me, too?_

Suddenly, she felt a burning sensation and her eyes darted up, abruptly meeting Deacon's. Rayna swore under her breath, unable to tear her eyes away from his. He looked as weary and tired as she felt. Tension bubbled inside her stomach as her eyes searched his. Whatever internal battle she was fighting, he was fighting it too.

Scarlett and Gunnar smiled at each other. "I will fall, I will fall if you come around."

Rayna swallowed, desperately trying to communicate with him over the distance as she willed her eyes to speak. Deacon went rigid, immediately looking away before he turned around and disappeared.

**- NASHVILLE - **

Deacon stormed through the parking lot, fumbling to find his keys in his pockets as he walked. He needed to get away; he couldn't do this, he couldn't see her, not yet.

"Hey." Rayna called, her voice strained as she tried to get his attention.

"Leave me alone."

"Deacon, please."

"Go away." He shook his head, opening the driver door.

"No, come here." Rayna tried again, throwing her hand against the door when he tried to close it. "I wanna talk to you-"

"-Leave me alone Rayna."

"Please talk to me." Rayna pleaded, reaching for him arm. "Come on babe-"

"-Please just…Rayna, go back inside!" Deacon demanded, looking at her angrily when she refused to move.

She looked over at the empty passenger seat and fear rushed through her veins as she caught sight of something she didn't want to see. Rayna shifted her weight as she inhaled and tried to take her eyes off the Jack Daniels bottle that lay there idly. She tore her eyes away and finally looked at him.

"Deacon…" She whispered cautiously, letting go of his arm. "Are you drunk?"

"You think that I?...You..." Deacon shook his head furiously, his eyes wide as he spoke sarcastically. "Of course you do, of course that's what you think of me…I'm just a hopeless drunk."

"Deacon." Rayna swallowed, shaking her head.

Deacon pointed off into the distance. "I can't do this with you…Go back inside."

"Are you serious?! I'm not goin' anywhere." Rayna exclaimed, standing her ground. "Not while you're like this."

"Like what Rayna?!" Deacon fumed, realising that she was looking at his passenger seat. He lifted up the unopened bottle of whiskey. "I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not drunk Rayna…I haven't opened the damn bottle…I'm sober, been sober these last thirteen years if you haven't noticed…Right now, I'm feelin' everythin' I don't wanna be feelin' a hundred times over. And you bein' here…you're makin' it worse-"

"-Slide over right now!" Rayna ordered, ignoring the stabs he's made at her.

Deacon was furious, the wind had been knocked out of him. She thought he was drunk, that had been her first assumption. Admittedly, he'd thought about it over the last forty-eight hours. He'd thought about how easy it would be to forget, to drown the images stuck on his mind and the pain that they held. Maybe that was why he'd wandered into a liquor store earlier tonight and walked out with a bottle of whisky in hand. Deep down, he knew he wouldn't open it, he knew he wouldn't do it. Nevertheless, he'd brought it anyway, and now his decision to do so was biting him in the back.

"I'm not lettin' you-" Rayna shook her head, putting a hand on the wheel.

"-Damn it, Rayna!" He yelled, trying to pull the door shut. "I'm not drunk! I can look after my-"

"-Move over!"

"I'm! Rayna, get off me-!" Deacon shouted, shaking her hands off him.

Rayna swore, shoving all her weight against him abruptly. "No! You slide over right now!"

The force with which she'd delivered the blow startled him and he went tumbling sideways. Before he had a chance to right his balance, Rayna was climbing into the driver seat and pushing him over into the seat next to her. There was no point fighting her on this, he didn't have it in him, he was too angry. She turned the key in the ignition, looked over her shoulder and reversed out of the parking space.

For a long while they drove in silence, both refusing to speak as tension began to mount between them. It was stifling; neither knew how much long they could do this. Deacon couldn't take it any longer. Who was he kidding? He had too many words waiting to be said.

"You thought I was drunk."

"No, I didn't…" Rayna stammered, regretting the fact that she'd jumped to that conclusion so quickly. "It was just…there, on the seat-"

"-You thought I was drunk Rayna…You lost faith in me …now, back then, you lost faith in me."

"I never lost faith in you." Rayna countered, looking over at him briefly. "and I have not lost faith in you now. Babe, I love you-"

"-You love me? Hmmm." Deacon interjected, scratching his head. "I'm not so sure."

"Why would you say somethin' like that?"

"Because I honestly don't even know what's real and what isn't when it comes to you and me."

"Don't." Rayna whispered, gasping for air as she felt her eyes burn.

"Don't do what Rayna?!" Deacon yelled, startling her as she changed lanes. "You lied to me…_you_ lied."

"Not tellin' you about Maddie has nothin' to do with how I feel about you…You _know_ that, you know that that's not a lie."

"Nothin' to do with it? Ok well, here's how I feel…Rayna, I can't breathe, I'm so confused, and I'm angry…I'm not so sure I can find anythin' polite to say to you…Hell, I'm not even sure if I can be around you without explodin'-"

"-Stop it!" Rayna yelled.

"_You_ stop it!" Deacon yelled, looking out the window where she muttered expletives.

"See here, the way you're speakin' to me right now, the way you're actin'…this is exactly why I never told you."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, that's right…"

"That's just great."

"Believe it or not, I didn't do any of this to hurt you. I did it for Maddie. She needed a Father that was gonna be there for her, a Father that'd love her, she needed stability…I needed that too…and you…"

"Well, you made the right choice, choosin' Teddy over me…" Deacon finally spoke, hiding the hurt in his voice. "Because clearly I wasn't any of those things…"

"Yes, I mean no-"

"-Look, Rayna, I know what I was like…I get that you didn't trust me, I know I didn't deserve your trust…Hell, I hurt you so badly." Deacon choked, squeezing his eyes closed to shut her out. His body was numb, his voice uneven. "But I got sober…and it stuck…and not once, not once in all these years did you think to put enough faith in me to tell me that we had a daughter…"

"I-" Rayna tried, tears stubbornly beginning to fall.

"-We're done."

"What?"

"You and me, we're done talkin' about this..." Deacon nodded, struggling to breath. "…I need…Pull over, I wanna get out."

"This is ridiculous, I'm not pullin' over…You're comin' home with me." Rayna shrieked, looking in her mirrors as she changed lanes.

"I'm not goin' anywhere with you."

"Yes, you are, I'm the one whose driv-"

"-No, I'm not." Deacon disagreed, shaking his head viciously as he reached out for the steering wheel. "Drive me home, pull over, I don't care-"

"-You're so damn stubborn, do you know that?!" Rayna cried, pushing his hand away as she turned her head to look at him. He snapped his head in the other direction in an attempt to avoid looking at her. She rolled her eyes. "Babe, I know you hate me right-"

"-Rayna!?" Deacon bellowed, fear jolting through his body when his eyes caught sight of the car fast approaching from their right.

Instinctively, he leant over her to pull the steering wheel hard towards him in an attempt to avoid a collision. Rayna screamed, realisation hitting her as she disjointedly followed Deacon's lead, her fingers clutching the steering wheel with his. It all happened at once; the screeching of tyres, the useless pleads that escaped their mouths, the struggle to keep control of the car when it left the road, and the crash that came when the car was sent hurdling into a deep ditch. Everything blurred; all sound and sense of place gone. The last thing Deacon heard was Rayna scream his name.


	29. Chapter 29

**NB: Readers, Reviewers and whoever else stumbles across this...THANK YOU for your continued kindness...you all make the writing world brighter...PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/HOPES/THOUGHTS/FAVOURITE LINES AND MOMENTS/PMS AND WHATEVER ELSE COMING...I appreciate and consider each one...As always, it is because of you dear readers that I write at all...Enjoy chapter twenty nine...**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY NINE**

Tandy and Lamar silently paced the busy walkway of the hospital, terror shadowing their every thought as they kept their eyes glued to the emergency doors. Teddy was doing his best to console his daughters. Maddie couldn't sit still and she continued to shake Teddy's hand off her shoulder whenever he tried to offer comfort. Gunnar and Scarlett stumbled out of an elevator, frantically looking around in search of familiar faces. Tandy call out, ushering them over. Daphne immediately found her way into Scarlett's arms, tightly holding on and refusing to let go. Unthinkingly, everyone huddled together, all fearful of the same thing, fearful of what to expect when Deacon and Rayna finally came through those doors. At that moment, the emergency doors flew open.

"Rayna Jaymes, 41-year-old driver with a head injury, complains of chest and back pain, has abdominal tenderness. The car flipped when she swerved to try and avoid colliding with an oncoming vehicle. Stabled vitals in the field after she was pulled from the wreckage." A paramedic relayed, wheeling the gurney through the emergency doors. He scowled as doctors swarmed, clearly more interested in catching a glimpse of the bruised and battered woman instead of helping as he pushed past them. "She copped the worst of it, the guy in the passenger seat is coming in right behind us-"

"-Mom!" Maddie screeched, her head jolting up when she heard her Mother's name. Impulsively, Maddie leapt out of her seat and began to run.

Teddy stumbled after her, capturing her in his arms. "Maddie! No, honey you can't-"

"-Let go of me! Let me go!" Maddie cried, struggling to free herself from Teddy's grasp as she watched a number of doctors wheel Rayna away. "Let me go! Please, Mom!"

"Shhh Shhh Shhh…" Teddy soothed, pulling Maddie tighter into himself as he struggled to keep a hold of her. He looked over at Tandy and she moved quickly, pulling Maddie into a strong embrace as he and Lamar ran after the doctors.

"No! Dad…" Maddie fought Tandy, looking around desperately. "I wanna come, I wanna come with you!…"

"It's ok, everything's gonna be ok." Tandy whispered into Maddie's ear.

"Uncle Deacon!" Scarlett gasped; putting Daphne down when she saw Deacon on the gurney. Blood was splattered across his face and bruises were beginning to show. She began to walk, her feet moving quickly.

Gunnar followed, pulling her to a stop. "Scarlett, no…you don't need to see him like this, let me go-"

"-No Gunnar, he needs me-" Scarlett cried, stopping mid sentence when she heard Maddie.

"-Deacon!" Maddie sobbed, her knees buckling when she caught sight of Deacon. Tandy struggled to keep a hold of Maddie when she tried to run after Deacon. Maddie exploded, every conflicting and confusing emotion busting forth as she begged Tandy to let her go.

Scarlett swallowed hard, remembering that Daphne was standing next to her. She turned in time to see her burst into tears, the whole scene of events overwhelming the nine-year-old. Scarlett's heart fell through the floor as reality kicked in; right now, in this moment, Daphne was the one who needed her. She picked Daphne up and the little girl wrapped her arms around her neck. She hid her face in Scarlett's hair in an attempt to block out the chaos and confusion as Scarlett comforted and held her. Shifting so she could see, Scarlett looked over Daphne's head to see if Tandy and Maddie were all right. Gunnar was doing his best to pull them out of the middle of the walkway so that they'd avoid being trampled by the back and forth traffic. Maddie wasn't making it easy for him, but he eventually succeeded.

"It's all my fault…this is all my fault…" Maddie sobbed irrationally, shaking her head as Tandy cradled her in her arms.

"No sweetie, this isn't your fault…this, it was an accident." Tandy comforted.

"But I was…If I hadn't said anythin'…It was me that told Deacon that he was-" Maddie stammered, wiping her running rose.

"-Mmm Mmm…" Tandy shushed, looking down at her seriously. "You listen to me…what happened here is not your fault, and I don't wanna hear you say that it was, you hear me? Everything is goin' to be fine, they'll be fine…"

Maddie nodded reluctantly, pushing her glasses up before crossing her arms. Her voice was barely a whisper. "Aunt Tandy…I….the last thing I said to Mom was that I hated her."

"Oh, honey." Tandy sighed, brushing a loose strand of hair out of Maddie's eyes.

"What if she dies?" Maddie choked, tears beginning to form again.

Tandy shook her head. "She's not gonna die."

Gunnar wrapped his arms around Scarlett as she held Daphne. Scarlett looked up at him and he spoke quietly. "Are you ok?"

"I dunno…I guess so." Scarlett replied, trying to sound strong as she struggled to keep a firm hold of Daphne.

"He'll be okay, you're Uncle's a fighter Scarlett." Gunnar soothed.

Daphne sniffed, pulling her head back to look up at the pair. Her face was red, her eyes swollen. "Mommy…she'll be okay too, won't she?"

Scarlett rested her head against Daphne's, smiling reassuringly. "Your Momma…she's a fighter too."

**- NASHVILLE -**

**Two days later…**

Deacon winced, his step slower than normal as he paced back and forth in his hospital room. He was grateful to be alone, especially after having Scarlett and Gunnar fuss over him these last few hours. It had taken nearly all his energy to convince them to leave. Deacon had struggled to stay put since he'd woken yesterday. Everything ached; his body was black and blue, but his injuries were minor. He'd infuriated the nurses and frustrated the doctors, stubbornly choosing to ignore their demands for him to remain in bed. He disagreed with them, assuring whoever would listen that he looked worse than he felt. Even if he wanted to, staying bedridden wasn't something he was keen on. He couldn't sit still. His head seemed intent on tormenting him with image after image of that night; the ugly argument before and crash, the aftermath, and the screams. Rayna's voice echoed through his mind, his name being the only thing he remembered her saying.

Rayna. Thinking about it made him feel like throwing up. This was all such a disaster. He hadn't seen her yet. As angry as he had been, not knowing if she was all right was killing him, it was tearing him apart. He'd tried to see her; he had walked past her hospital room too many times to count, but he'd never made it inside. Deacon had heard the familiar sound of Tandy and Lamar's voices on several occasions; that had been encouragement enough for him to steer clear. But on a whole, if he was honest, it was the fear and guilt that fixed itself to his demeanour every time he tried opening her door that stopped him.

Deacon shoved the armchair next to his unmade hospital bed, frustration weighing him down. He couldn't take it anymore, not knowing was more than unbearable. He needed to know. Thoughtlessly, he walked, his feet set on finding their way to Rayna's room. Deacon took a right turn and looked up, stopping mid step when he caught sight of someone approaching him. Anger burned deep within and he moved suddenly.

"You." Deacon breathed, his eyes set on Teddy's as he spoke. He grabbed fistfuls of Teddy's jacket, startling them both as he tightened his grip. "You stole my life-!"

"-What are you talkin'-?" Teddy matched his intensity, trying to shake Deacon's hold.

"-You…stole my daughter from me!" Deacon exclaimed, pulling Teddy around a corner when he realised that they were starting to draw attention. "_My_ daughter!"

"You aren't capable of bein' a Father…you haven't changed-"

"-My daughter, you took her from me…You had no right!" Deacon countered, his eyes full of fire.

"You are worse than you were all those-"

"-You don't know me!"

"Oh, I do know you!" Teddy scoffed, shaking Deacon's hands off his jacket. "You're a scumbag, you belligerent drunk."

"You don't know me!" Deacon repeated, launching himself at Teddy again.

"Maddie deserves better…!" Teddy spat, holding his ground as Deacon shook his head. "And so does Rayna…Rayna deserves a thousand times better than you."

Deacon swore, struggling not to punch him in the face.

"Destruction follows you wherever you go. I mean, look at this, look where we are Deacon…." Teddy mocked, waving a hand in the air. "Because of you, we're in a damn hospital...and my wife-"

"-Ex-wife." Deacon corrected, fury sitting on his tongue. "She's ain't your wife anym-"

"-She's not your wife either." Teddy shook his head, a smirk flashing over his face.

Deacon snapped. The force with which he threw Teddy up against a wall shocked him, but he made no attempt to release him from the deathly grip he had on his collar. Anger rushed through Deacon's veins, every pent up frustration springing forth as he kept his eyes fixed on Teddy's.

"She could've been…but you, _you_ stole that from me…" Deacon spat.

"You honestly think that's true?" Teddy asked. "In case you haven't noticed, Rayna chose me thirteen years ago, she chose _me_…not you…"

Deacon clenched his jaw, unable to find the right thing to say. His head was spinning, he was seeing red. That had been true. Rayna had chosen Teddy all those years ago, not him.

"You are no good for Rayna…and you sure as hell ain't any good for Maddie."

"You have no right." Deacon managed, starting to doubt himself as he shook his head. Maybe Teddy was right.

Teddy could tell Deacon was drawing back because self-loathing was beginning to fill his face as he let everything sink in. Teddy shifted on his feet and shook Deacon's hands of his jacket again.

"You haven't changed, you never will…Biologically, she might be your child…but you'll _never_ really be Maddie's Father…" Teddy goaded.

"What on earth?!" Tandy called, hesitantly approaching the pair. "What is goin' on here?"

"Nothin'." Deacon spat, backing away from Teddy as he held a glare.

"You stay away from my family, you hear me?" Teddy hissed.

Deacon clenched his jaw, refusing to dignify Teddy's words with a response. He turned on his heel and walked away, not bothering to look back as he went.

"What the hell was that?" Tandy asked curiously, her eyes busily studying Teddy.

"Nothing, forget it…" Teddy shrugged, straightening his tie.

"It didn't look like nothin'-"

"-Drop it Tandy."

Tandy looked at him sceptically, crossing her arms as she cocked her head. "What'd you say to him?"

"The truth." Teddy replied, shoving his hands in his pockets. He walked past her and turned around when he realised she wasn't following. "Are you comin'?"

**- NASHVILLE -**

**One day later…**

Rayna swore, her breath quickening as a sharp pain coursed through her body when she climbed back onto the bed. She pulled the blankets up and noted that moving quickly was a bad idea; it was definitely something she wouldn't be trying again. Carefully leaning back into the pillow, Rayna found herself staring at the door as her mind wandered.

It had been three days since the accident, three days since she and Deacon had argued, three days since she'd seen his face. It had been three long days. People had come and gone; doctors, nurses, Bucky, the girls and even Teddy at one occasion. Then there was her sister and her Father. She was so thankful for them; she couldn't begin to fathom the love and affection she had felt as they had both spent many sleepless hours by her bedside. However, regardless of it all, nothing could shake the longing she felt for it to be Deacon sitting there beside her.

He hadn't come to see her once, but then again she hadn't gone to see him either. Everything was such a mess. Every emotion had spun around them these last few days, pulling at their insides and leaving them in a far too fragile state. Everything felt broken, everything felt confusing, everything felt wrong. She hated not knowing where they stood, or what was to become of them. She hated not seeing his face, especially when she knew he was lying in a room seven doors down. She didn't blame him for not wanting to see her, but it didn't stop her wishing, hoping and waiting for him.

"Knock knock." Tandy grinned, knocking on the doorframe as she walked in.

Rayna smiled, tugging at the itchy hospital gown. "Hey."

"I've got two very special visitors wantin' to see their Mom…"

"Is that right?" Rayna laughed, sitting up a little straighter as Maddie and Daphne appeared, bunches of flowers in hand. "Hey y'all."

"Mommy…" Daphne wavered, her eyes darting around the room as Rayna beckoned her towards the bed.

"Hi sweetheart…" Rayna smiled, holding her arms open. "Do you know how much I have missed you?"

Daphne broke into a run, dropping the flowers on the bed before she jumped up and fell into Rayna's arms. Rayna winced, stifling the groan that threatened to escape her lips as Daphne wrapped her arms around her waist.

"Daphne!" Tandy squeaked, smiling grimly as the little girl turned around to face her. "…no hugs."

"It's alright Tandy, she's fine." Rayna shushed, shooting Tandy a look as she brushed hair out of Daphne's eyes.

Worry crossed Daphne's face as she looked up at Rayna. Cautiously, she reached out her little fingers and touched the awful bruises on Rayna's forehead. Rayna did her best to smile when Daphne's eyes searched hers.

"Does it hurt?" Daphne whispered, gently stroking Rayna's forehead.

Rayna shook her head, taking Daphne's hands in hers to kiss them. "Not nearly as much now that you're here…"

Daphne smiled and relaxed, turning to wave Maddie over. "Did you bring it?"

"Bring what?" Maddie frowned, still keeping her distance as she stood next to Tandy.

Daphne cocked her head, cupping her hands around her mouth to block Rayna out as she whispered. "Mom's present, duh?!"

"I thought you were bringin' it?" Maddie made a face, pointing to the bouquet of flowers on the bed. "I was supposed to remember the flowers-"

"-No."

"Yes."

"Maddie!" Daphne squeaked.

"What's wrong?" Rayna interrupted, slightly bemused by her daughters bickering. She didn't realise how much she'd missed them.

"I wanted everything to be perfect…" Daphne whinged, throwing her hands to her head. "…and now everything's ruined."

Rayna frowned, looking over at Tandy and Maddie for answers.

"I baked a cake-" Maddie replied.

"-_We_ baked a cake." Daphne corrected, gesturing between them as she smiled at Rayna.

"We?" Maddie laughed. "No, I baked…You, you broke a bowl-"

"-You, what?!" Rayna exclaimed, hiding her smile.

"I did not!" Daphne screeched. "Maddie, you said you wouldn't tell."

"I guess it slipped." Maddie smirked.

"Broken bowls or not…as long as y'all haven't inherited my superb cookin' skills, I cannot wait to taste it." Rayna grinned.

"Don't worry Mom, we can actually cook." Daphne replied cheekily, patting Rayna on the knee.

Everyone fell into fits of laughter.

"No, don't make me laugh!" Rayna pleaded, wrapping her arms around her body. "It hurts…please don't…don't make me laugh."

Daphne smiled, adding unthinkingly. "We made a cake for you, and we made a cake for Deacon too."

"You did?" Rayna asked quietly.

"Mmhmm…" Daphne nodded, oblivious to the tension that sat in the room. Neither Maddie nor Tandy were smiling anymore. "It was Maddie's idea."

"No, it wasn't." Maddie said quickly, shaking her head viciously.

Daphne gave Maddie a pointed look, not bothering to argue as she turned to Rayna and frowned. "How's Deacon? Is he all right? He must have lots of bruises too."

Rayna pursed her lips before smiling to hide her uneasiness as she deliberately sidestepped her questions. "He's gonna love your cake, honey."

Silence fell over the room as everyone went quiet, unsure of which way to take the conversation now that Daphne had brought Deacon up. Rayna couldn't help but notice Maddie, her eyes tired and troubled as she stood awkwardly three feet away from the bed. Rayna looked at Tandy who seemingly read her mind.

"Did you need anythin'?" Tandy asked, pointing to her right. "I was thinkin' I might head downstairs to grab a coffee."

"You know, I would _love_ some real food…" Rayna smiled, catching on to what Tandy was doing.

"When you say _real_, you mean chocolate don't you?" Daphne giggled.

"Yeah," Rayna shrugged, smile wide. "…._real_ food."

"Daphne, sweetie." Tandy chirped, waving Daphne off the bed. "Why don't you come and help me find your Mom some _real_ food?"

"But I-" Daphne started.

"-Come on, let's go." Tandy interjected, giving Daphne a look that made it clear that Daphne didn't have a choice.

Daphne grumbled, slowly sliding off the bed. Rayna smiled as she watched her youngest stomp after Tandy.

"I'll come too." Maddie said quickly, hurrying after them.

"No no…" Tandy shook her head, ushering her back into the hospital room. "We've got it covered."

Maddie exhaled and turned around, her steps slow and careful as she made her way towards Rayna. More than anything she wanted to run to Rayna and collapse in her arms, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She thought she knew what she wanted to say when this time came, but now that she was here she couldn't think of anything. This was the first time they'd been alone since she'd told Rayna she wanted to live with Teddy. She knew she'd hurt her Mom when she'd said that, but she'd been hurting too. Her whole world had been pulled out from underneath her. Maybe she'd been wrong to leave like that, she didn't know.

Since the accident, Maddie had had little sleep; her emotions had confused her and kept her wide-awake. She hated this, all she'd done was over-analyse everything and it made her head hurt. Maddie stood silently, arms crossed as Rayna looked at her hopefully.

"I know you're mad at me." Rayna whispered, clutching her hands together as she spoke.

"I am mad at you." Maddie raised her eyebrows, shaking her head as she looked off into the distance.

"I know you are…I'm sorry."

Maddie scratched her face, choosing to disregard Rayna's apology. She wasn't ready for all of this to end just yet.

Rayna tilted her head, hoping that Maddie might look at her. "But I really don't want you to be mad at me forever, I hate us bein' like this…we need each other."

Maddie crossed her arms, swaying on her feet as she tried to remain still and keep her expression neutral.

"I loved your Dad…that's why I married him." Rayna exhaled, not fully knowing what it was she was going to say. "…But you know, I also married him because I knew he would love you as much as I do, I knew he would be a good Father...Honey, I'm so sorry that I hurt you…Maddie, I love you more than anybody, I love you more than anythin' in the world."

Rayna looked at Maddie, her eyes and her words sincere. Maddie couldn't hold it together any longer; she couldn't hold up this wall that she'd been building between them. Standing here listening carefully, she knew her Mom meant what she said. Right now, that was enough. Maddie burst into tears.

"And I'm never ever gonna leave you…" Rayna whispered, tears starting to form when Maddie kept her eyes on the wall to her left.

Maddie finally looked over at Rayna, exhaling heavily as she hurried to her bedside. Clumsily, she climbed onto the bed and welcomed Rayna's embrace as she let the tears fall.

"I'm sorry." Maddie sobbed, clinging to Rayna tightly.

"Honey, you have nothin' to be sorry for." Rayna soothed, pulling Maddie's head under her chin as she wrapped her arms around her.

"But I told you I hated you." Maddie said irrationally, making Rayna laugh a little as she remembered Maddie slamming a car door in her face a few nights ago. "…The last thing I said to you was I hate you, and I don't hate you, Mom. I was just angry-"

"-It's ok, it doesn't matter." Rayna shushed, rocking Maddie as they sat together.

"But what if you'd…?" Maddie started, letting the silence finish her sentence.

"Sweetheart, I'm not goin' anywhere, I love you…"

Maddie nodded, hiccupping as she tried to breathe when she pulled away. Rayna smiled at Maddie and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Mom, I know…I know why you did it. I know that you wanted me to have a good family, a good Father, and that's why you chose Dad…" Maddie stammered, her knuckles white as she squeezed her hands together. "…Deacon couldn't have been that, it wouldn't have worked because he was sick, he was a drunk."

Rayna froze, her eyes closely studying Maddie. She was stunned. Had her daughter just called Deacon a drunk? "What did you? How? Why would you say somethin' like that?"

"I didn't mean to say that, that last thing just slipped out…" Maddie shook her head, nervously playing with her fingers as she mumbled. "…it's just what some kids at school are sayin'-"

"-What'd you mean kids at school?" Rayna exclaimed, running a hand through her hair as she looked at Maddie seriously. "Honey, what are they? What's goin' on-?"

"-You know Mom, kids in my class…they're just dumb." Maddie replied irritably, embarrassed to be having this conversation with her Mom. She didn't want Rayna to have to worry. "They don't know anythin'."

"Maddie, that's not what I asked you…"

"It's nothin', they're just…sayin' mean things about Deacon…about you…" Maddie said carelessly, clapping her hands together as she shook her head. "Mom, I know they're all liars…They don't know Deacon, they don't know either of you like I do…"

Rayna exhaled, hurt and concern flooding her face. She knew that the media would be catching onto this like wildfire; the reasons behind accident, her character, Deacon's character, everything. She had hoped that her children would be left out of the media spectacle, clearly that hadn't been the case. She hated not being able to protect them from this, especially Maddie, especially now.

"You know hon, kids can be cruel." Rayna agreed, squeezing Maddie's hand as she exhaled. "But some of those things…some of them are true…"

"What?"

"Before you were born, Deacon…he had some problems." Rayna gulped, struggling to find the right words.

"So he did drink alcohol? He was sick?" Maddie processed.

"He did…and it wasn't pretty, it was real hard."

"So he was a drunk?" Maddie frowned. "Is that what you're sayin'?"

"Ok, you need to stop with the names…it's rude, it's nasty."

"I'm sorry, I didn't…" Maddie scratched her forehead. "I don't…what are you sayin' then?"

"I'm sayin' that sometimes in life, things can get out of control and people aren't able to handle it, they can't cope with life…Deacon was one of those people." Rayna offered, hoping that she was making sense.

"But he's handlin' everythin' now, right? He changed?"

"He has changed." Rayna nodded, stroking Maddie's head. She knew deep down that the change in Deacon was real, but she was still a little fearful when she thought about it. "Deacon, he's good man."

"And you love him." Maddie said definitely.

"I do." Rayna replied surely, smiling warmly as she nodded. "Honey, I'm sorry about the kids in your class…We'll sort it out-

"-I got a detention yesterday."

"You what?"

"I picked a fight with Micah in class."

Rayna raised an eyebrow.

"She said you were stupid for driving a dru…stupid for driving Deacon home…I told her she was stupid…_and_ then I swore, I called her…you know, never mind." Maddie bit her lip, expecting Rayna to scold her.

Rayna chuckled. "Maddie Conrad."

"She had it-" Maddie defended, holding up her hands.

"-We're back!" Daphne and Tandy chimed, cutting in on the conversation.

Daphne skipped in, two blocks of chocolate in hand. "Here, Mom…We would've been back sooner, but Aunt Tandy took _forever…_She was talking…it was real boring."

"You're Aunt tends to do that." Rayna agreed, narrowing her eyes at Tandy.

Tandy laughed half-heartedly, clearly distracted as Maddie and Daphne ripped open a block of chocolate.

Rayna frowned and mouthed. "Are you ok?"

Tandy shook her head, looking down at her coffee as she sighed. "Damn, I didn't get any sugar…"

"Language!" Daphne exclaimed, pointing at Tandy as she put chocolate in her mouth.

Tandy smiled. "Girls, do you think you could run and get me some?"

Rayna looked at Tandy sceptically.

"Sure." Maddie smiled, noticeably happier now that she was free of the things that had been weighing heavy on her. "Come on Daph."

"But I just got back." Daphne moaned, fingers covered in chocolate.

Maddie ignored her and pulled her by the arm. They disappeared out the door and Rayna gave Tandy a pointed look.

"Sweetie…" Tandy sighed, picking at the lid on her coffee.

"What?" Rayna asked, cocking her head.

Tandy pursed her lips.

"Oh no, don't do that…" Rayna groaned, tugging at her hair as she laughed. "You freak me out when you pull that face."

"Sweetie…" Tandy tried again, walking to her bedside. "I need you not to panic because you're gonna hate what I'm about to say."

"Ok," Rayna swallowed hard, her breaths suddenly becoming shorter as her heart started to beat faster.

"Deacon's gone."

Rayna's head spun, her body felt numb. She wanted to be sick. Dazed, she looked up at Tandy. "What'd you mean he's gone?"

"He checked himself out yesterday…" Tandy replied. "Mind you, his doctor didn't clear it-"

"-Damn it Tandy!" Rayna heaved, tears stinging her eyes as she blew heavily. "I thought you meant he was…I thought."

"No no no…" Tandy shook her head, sitting down on the bed. "I was just talkin' to a nurse downstairs… I asked her about Deacon, and she said he checked out yesterday."

Rayna threw the bedcovers back, desperation in her voice. "I need to find him."

"Are you serious?!" Tandy exclaimed, blocking Rayna. "You're not goin' anywhere!"

"Tandy move! Let me up!"

"No."

"Move, or I swear I'll make you." Rayna heaved. Her hands were shaking. Who was she kidding; there was no way she would be able to make Tandy move. "I need to find him."

"Sweetie, I'm sorry..." Tandy said sincerely, pulling the blankets back over Rayna's legs. "Right now, you're in no state to be goin' anywhere…"

"Why would he just leave like that? He didn't even see, I didn't even, I don't even know if he's ok." Rayna stammered, her words and thoughts all over the place.

"You're askin' me questions that I don't have any answers to." Tandy replied.

"Tandy." Rayna choked.

"We have to just hope he's ok. There's gotta be a reason why he was stupid enough to check himself out early, he must know what he's doin'..." Tandy comforted, crossing her arms. "He'll call, he'll see you when he's ready..."

"Are you sayin' this because you tryin' to help or are you tryin' to make me feel worse?" Rayna breathed.

"Rayna, you're not goin' anywhere..." Tandy replied, disregarding her questioning. "You're stayin' put….no more arguin'…"

Rayna threw her head back in frustration. She was right. Rayna knew Tandy was right, she couldn't go anywhere. She swallowed hard as she struggled to stop her hands from shaking. Everything inside of her was in pieces; everything was hurting as she tried to compose herself. It was no use, because moments later she dissolved into tears.


	30. Chapter 30

**NB: Goodness me, thank you a hundred and one times over every reader and reviewer. You make writing sweeter, you are why chapters keep finding a way to be written. PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/HOPES/THOUGHTS/COMMENTS/FAVOURITE LINES AND MOMENTS/PMS and WHATEVER ELSE coming...with that, enjoy chapter thirty...**

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY**

**Five Days Later**

"Don't they have anythin' better to do?" Maddie scowled, peeking out a window in the lounge room. "…Shovin' camera's in someone's face when they're barely outta hospital…Who does that? It's beyond rude…"

"They're so weird..." Daphne spoke up. "I swear they're like stalking you, Mom...Someone asked if you have a thing for guitarists."

"What?" Rayna screwed up her face.

"I dunno." Daphne shrugged. "It's just what I heard before Aunt Tandy shut the car door at the hospital."

"Aunt Tandy, do something." Maddie pleaded.

"Papa says that you can get people to do what you want…" Daphne added, looking up at Tandy.

Rayna smirked, her eyes darting from Daphne to Tandy. "And what else does your Papa say?"

"Sweetie, if I could…you know I would…but it's not that easy." Tandy replied, dropping Rayna's overnight bag on the floor as she and Daphne helped Rayna sit down. "The paparazzi will do what they wanna do, that's just how it goes…"

"Well that's stupid." Daphne rolled her eyes, making Rayna smile as she waved Tandy off when she tried to help her get comfortable.

"If we pretend they're not there…maybe they'll go away." Rayna smirked, resting her head on her hand.

"I doubt it." Tandy shook her head.

"Well, I hate them all." Maddie fumed, pulling the curtains closed.

"Maddie." Rayna scoffed, shooting her a look as she laughed.

"What?" Maddie shrugged. "I do."

A crash in the kitchen interrupted the conversation. Both alarmed, Rayna and Maddie turned around.

"What was that?" Rayna asked.

"Daphne?" Tandy frowned.

"Ummmm." Daphne gulped, hands still out as she looked down at the broken coffee mug.

"Daphne!" Maddie exclaimed, running into the kitchen.

"It was hot." Daphne reasoned, her face turning red from embarrassment.

"What were you thinkin'?" Tandy asked tiredly, crossing her arms as she walked towards the two girls.

"I was just tryin' to help…" Daphne bit her lip, tucking hair behind her ear. "Mom likes coffee, and she needs to relax, so-"

"-Do you even know how to make a coffee?" Maddie asked sceptically.

"Yeah..." Daphne nodded, her eyes holding a steady glare. "Just because I'm nine…doesn't mean I'm stupid."

"Well…you're really helpin' Mom relax…especially when you're droppin'-"

"-I don't see you doing anything for her." Daphne crossed her arms. "...you're just moody and lazy."

Open mouthed, Maddie scowled. "And you're stupid."

"You're nosy."

"You're a baby." Maddie hissed, smiling when panic filled Daphne's face.

"No, I'm not!" Daphne cried, stomping her foot angrily.

"Are too!"

"Am n-"

"-Enough!" Rayna called, surprising the other three as she leant over the lounge to silence them.

Tandy pursed her lips, attempting to hide her laughter as her eyes darted between Mother and daughters. Horrified that Rayna had put a stop to their argument, both girls whipped around to face her, each eager to be heard.

"But she just!" Daphne screeched, pointing angrily at Maddie. "She called me-"

"-You started it!" Maddie argued.

"Whatever..." Daphne rolled her eyes, holding a hand up to Maddie's face.

Maddie smacked Daphne's hand away. "Get out of my face-!"

"-Girls, please..." Rayna groaned, giving both girls a pointed look.

"But Mom!" Both girls cried.

"Mmm Mmm." Rayna silenced, shaking her head as she closed her eyes. "Y'all are givin' me a headache."

"Ok…" Tandy sighed, holding up her hand to stop Daphne and Maddie from interrupting her. "Why don't you two go find somethin' else to do…maybe in another room, hey?"

"Like what?"

"Homework."

Daphne and Maddie looked at Tandy with disgust.

"You're askin' us to go and do our homework when our sick Mother has just gotten home from hospital…" Maddie tried, her tone facetious. She hoped that they could talk their way out of being asked to leave.

"She needs us." Daphne added, smiling cheekily.

"Don't you both try and pull that card with me…" Tandy sighed, uncrossing her arms to point in the direction of the staircase. "Off you go…"

"But!" Daphne complained, looking back over her shoulder as Maddie pushed her towards the stairs.

"Go…" Tandy reiterated, still pointing to the stairs.

Reluctantly, both girls turned around and headed up the stairs, stomping angrily as they went. Tandy and Rayna were sure that the girls muttered something about Tandy hating them. When they were sure the girls were out of earshot they burst into fits of laughter.

"Yes!" Rayna sighed, hands lazily raised in the air. "For once, it's not me they're angry with."

Tandy shook her head, bending down in front of Daphne's mess. She began to pick up broken pieces of the mug. "Oh, please."

Rayna smirked and looked around until she found her cell phone tucked behind a cushion. Unthinkingly, her fingers found Deacon's phone number. She stared at it for a long while, letting each painful and conflicting emotion burn inside. She'd lost count of the number of desperate messages and fragile pleads she'd left him. Eight days and still there was no word, no messages, no phone calls, no nothing. Rayna was trying to be brave, but Deacon was making it awfully hard for her. She felt nauseous thinking about him. The unknown was a horrible thing, it was overwhelming and it weighed heavy on her. She felt helpless.

"You haven't heard from him have you?" Tandy asked pointedly, catching Rayna chuck her cell phone between her legs as she sat crossed-legged on the couch.

"I wasn't, I was just." Rayna tried, immediately giving up when Tandy looked at her disbelievingly. She exhaled. "No...no I haven't."

Tandy pursed her lips, deciding not to unravel whatever resolve Rayna had gathered these last few days. She hated seeing her sister in so much pain; the rage she felt towards Deacon for leaving without a word was greater than she wanted to acknowledge. Rayna needed someone to be strong for her, and Tandy knew she had to be that someone for now. She changed tracks, closing the waste bin as she turned back around to look at Rayna.

"Bucky called earlier when you were fillin' out paperwork at the hospital...He wants to know if he can come over this afternoon to see you..."

"You sure he's comin' to see me?" Rayna asked, smiling wickedly as Tandy kept a straight face. "Because, I'm thinkin' he might wanna see you…You know, considerin' you've been caught up worryin' about your invalid of a sister and all."

"No," Tandy countered, hiding a grin as she put a hand on her hip. "…this is a professional call. He and I have been talkin' and we think that now is the best time for a press release."

"I don't remember hirin' you to be my manager, too." Rayna pulled a face.

Tandy ignored her. "I'm serious."

"So am I."

"We need to release a press statement." Tandy pushed.

"They already seem to have all the facts..." Rayna said sarcastically. "I mean, according to one article I persuaded my 'long time ex-guitarist and lover' to get completely wasted with me...the pressure of a tour, and raising children after a divorce was too much..Apparently, I've gone completely off the rails..."

"What?!"

"That's not the worst of it..." Rayna exclaimed, rubbing her head. "Hang on, do you want me to refer to articles that are pro Deacon or pro me? Because, the content changes accordin' to who you like better…"

"Rayna." Tandy sighed, her tone sympathetic. "Where on earth did you even read that kind of trash?"

"It's everywhere, Tandy." Rayna blew forcefully, turning to look at Tandy. "It's even in casual conversation in the girl's classrooms."

"You're not serious?!" Tandy made a face, crossing her arms.

"I'm dead serious."

"That's ridiculous! You'd think that the school would've had half a mind to shut that kind of conversation down…" Tandy replied, pulling her cell phone out and dialing a number. "I'm callin' that damn school and gettin' it sorted, unless you already have-"

"-Maddie got a detention the other day."

Tandy's mouth dropped open and she quickly hung up the cell phone. "Come again."

"She got a detention for pickin' a fight with a girl when she was tryin' to defend Deacon and me." Rayna replied, thinking back to the conversation.

"See!" Tandy exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "This is _exactly_ why you _need_ to release a statement to the press."

"Tandy." Rayna groaned.

"No," Tandy shook her head, watching Rayna slowly stand and make her way into the kitchen area. "I'm callin' Bucky and tellin' him to get over here so we can discuss this."

"No, you won't."

"Yes, I will." Tandy replied, scrolling through her contact list on her cell phone. "You need to set the record straight and a press statement can do that."

"You know what? I don't care, fine..." Rayna mumbled, taking cups out of the cupboard. "call him…you'll do whatever the hell you want anyway."

Rayna tried her best to ignore Tandy as she talked to Bucky on the phone. She was trying really hard to be angry. It was quite amusing, and she found herself smiling when Tandy walked out of the room to finish the conversation. Rayna was pouring milk into two coffee cups when Tandy finally walked back into the kitchen.

"Thank you." Tandy smiled, taking the cup off Rayna when she handed it to her. She took a sip and carefully placed her cup on the countertop. "So…you know, now is a good time to tell me what really happened…"

"Hmm?"

"The accident…"

"A car came out of no where, I swerved, our car flipped…and we ended up in hospital." Rayna replied systematically, aware that that was not the answer Tandy was looking for. She wanted to know how Deacon factored into all of this. She and Tandy hadn't talked since the night that the truth about Maddie's paternity had all come crashing down.

"That's all?" Tandy frowned, intensely studying Rayna's face.

"I asked him if he was drunk…." Rayna said flatly before sipping her drink. "and he wasn't…but I wanted to drive him home anyway…I knew he was angry with me...but I wanted to talk…is that selfish?"

Tandy held her tongue, her attention fixed on Rayna's words.

"Tandy, I asked him if he was drunk." Rayna reiterated, each word leaving a bad taste in her mouth.

"Ok?" Tandy said slowly, unsure of how Rayna wanted her to respond.

"Look, I dunno what you wanna know Tandy…" Rayna continued, irritability and fatigue overcoming her as she spoke. "I know just as much as you do. I know that I feel like everything's wrong, I know that I've screwed everythin' up…Is that what you wanna know-?"

"-Alright, settle…I just wanted to-"

"-He's not coming back is he?" Rayna heaved, tears falling down her face as she struggled to breath. She quietly berated herself for falling apart in front of her sister. She hated it when people saw what was really going on inside.

Tandy froze, completely surprised by what was happening. She had expected Rayna to continue yelling at her, she hadn't expected her to burst into tears.

"Rayna."

"I can't do this…" Rayna choked, clinging to the counter for support as she tried to pull herself together and make sense of her thoughts. "I need him here…Doin' this ridiculous press statement thing… How can I lie and say that he and I are both doin' well when I have no idea where he is?…I have no idea what's goin' on…I don't-"

"-Sweetie, I understand what you're sayin'…but I, we...releasin' a press statement can be done with or without Deacon." Tandy tried, watching Rayna make a beeline for the car keys on the countertop.

"I need…" Rayna said without thinking, immediately stopping herself from finishing the sentence. Frantically, she looked around the kitchen.

"What are you doin'?" Tandy asked, hoping that Rayna wasn't going to walk out the front door.

"He's either at home, or he's at the damn cabin…"

"You're not serious? Rayna you can't-"

"-Of course I'm serious." Rayna replied, hovering near the doorway that led to hallway.

"That's ridiculous!" Tandy squeezed her eyes shut and smacked her forehead. "You're not thinkin' straight!"

"Your sister's right…this is ridiculous." Teddy interrupted the conversation, appearing behind Rayna.

Rayna swore, jumping as she turned to see where the voice had come from. She shot Teddy a dirty look. "Haven't you heard of knockin' Teddy?! Seriously…"

"You can't be serious Rayna," Teddy sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "you only just got home from the hospital and now you're wantin' to get behind the wheel again."

"Not that it's any of your business," Rayna seethed, crossing her arms. "but I'm fine. Teddy, I'm not your responsibility anymore."

"You can't see it."

"See what? Right now, I see that you're makin' me really angry-"

"-You can't see the damage that comes with being with _him._" Teddy shook his head, bitterness in his voice.

"This." Rayna pointed to the bruises on her head, and the grazes on her arm as she spoke. "isn't Deacon's fault…it was a freak accident…it had nothin' to do with anythin'."

"You're defending him?"

"Of course I'm defendin' him!"

"Figures." Teddy spat.

"He didn't do anythin' wrong." Rayna replied furiously.

"Fine." Teddy shrugged, crossing his arms as he walked around the kitchen. "Maybe it wasn't his fault…but there's always next time…His track record isn't exactly a good one...He'll never be the man you need, he'll never be the kind of Father figure Maddie needs…I mean, it was pretty clear when I ran into him-"

"-Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

"Mmm Mmm." Rayna shook her head, stumbling after Teddy as he walked around the counter. "What did you say just now? You said you ran into him…Where?"

"It was nothing." Teddy replied, coming to a stop to look at Rayna.

"Tell me."

"The hospital," Teddy scratched his head. "that's where I saw him."

Rayna's eyes grew and she swallowed hard, hurt and confusion tearing her apart. Deacon had seen Teddy, but he hadn't seen her. That made no sense at all.

"At the hospital?" Rayna asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"I didn't go looking for him Rayna…he found me. Hell, he threw me up against a damn wall."

"What did you say to him?!" Rayna exclaimed, looking at Teddy coldly when he laughed uneasily.

"I only told him what your sister should've said if she got the chance." Teddy replied, staring at Tandy as he spoke.

Tandy crossed her arms and matched his stare, fury written all over her face. "Hey! Watch it."

"Which was what?!" Rayna demanded.

"I told him to stay away."

Rayna's knees nearly gave way; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You, what?"

"I did it to protect you." Teddy replied, crossing his arms. "I did it to protect Maddie from whatever pain and disappointment she'll find by putting faith in someone who is never gonna come through for her."

"You had no right!" Rayna hissed.

"I was protectin-"

"-I can't believe you would do somethin' like this…"

"It's for the best." Teddy continued. "I didn't do any of this to hurt you…I was thinking about what was best-"

Rayna swore, throwing her hands in the air. "-That's total bull, Teddy…you didn't do any of this for anyone but yourself."

"Rayna-"

"-Stop…" Rayna interjected, speaking over Teddy as she looked down at the car keys in her hands. "I'm done listenin' to this, I'm done listenin' to you."

Rayna pushed past him, feeling slightly better when he stumbled sideways. Quickly, Tandy followed and came to a stop in front of Teddy.

"You can't seriously think that doin' what you've just done would bring about any good…" Tandy spoke, narrowing her eyes.

"Tandy-"

"-Quite frankly Teddy, I don't wanna hear it." Tandy sighed, walking in the direction of the door. "If you'll excuse me…I'm not feelin' too keen on lettin' my sister drive…so I'm gonna go too…"

Teddy glared at Tandy, his eyes following her as she moved. "What about the girls?"

"They should be fine with you." Tandy called, already making her way for the back door. "You are their Father, remember?"

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Rayna, wait!" Tandy called, pulling the keys out of the ignition as Rayna slammed the passenger door. Tandy closed her car door and looked around curiously, taking in their surroundings.

"He has to be here." Rayna replied hastily, struggling not to break into a run. "He wasn't at his house, not at Scarlett's, he has to be here…"

Rayna bolted up the old wooden steps, her mind recalling memories of times gone by when she and Deacon had hidden away in the cabin. This was their secret place, their place.

Rayna pounded the front door. "Deacon?!"

No reply.

"Deacon!" Rayna called again, walking over to a window to get a better look inside. The lights were out and the windowsill was collecting dust. She frowned. "Deacon, I know you're in there…"

No reply.

"Come on!" Rayna sighed, slamming the doorframe desperately when the door continued to stand still. She whispered. "Come on…please Deacon."

"Rayna, he's not here." Tandy stated the obvious, aware that it wasn't what Rayna wanted to hear.

"You don't know that." Rayna replied, looking over her shoulder at Tandy.

"Sweetie, there's no car, no nothin'…He's not here…"

Rayna went silent, unsure of what to say.

"Maybe he wanted to get out of Nashville for a while…you know, some fresh air and a change of scenery…." Tandy offered poorly, slowly walking backwards towards the car.

Unconsciously, Rayna began to bite her nails. None of this felt real. Where was he? It wasn't that long ago that he had been wrapping her in his arms and keeping her close. Now, he was gone and she was all out of knowing what it was that she was supposed to do. She felt lost and unsure of herself. She'd searched far and wide, dialled his number more times then she cared to admit, and fought the emotions that were relentlessly wreaking havoc with her insides. This was making her head spin. It was twisting and turning her heart into a mess.

"Rayna?"

"Hmm?" Rayna snapped her head in Tandy's direction. She looked down at the chipped nail polish on her nails and frowned.

"Are you ready to leave?" Tandy asked again.

"Mmhmm."

Tandy turned and opened the driver door. "Home?"

Rayna nodded slowly, hopping into the passenger seat. She exhaled heavily. "And you might as well call Buck too."

"What?"

"Well, I hardly think he'd like it if I kept him out of the loop when it comes to dealin' with the press." Rayna muttered.

"So, you wanna do this?" Tandy asked cautiously. "A press release?"

"Nope." Rayna said curtly, running a hand over her face. "But it's gotta be done…"

Tandy sighed, looking over at Rayna quickly before focusing on the road. "It's gonna be alright, Rayna it will be ok."

"I hope so."

Rayna looked out the window. She'd been able to pull herself together for the cameras when she'd left the hospital, but she wasn't so sure she'd be able to keep it up for long. She swallowed hard. She couldn't afford to fall apart, she refused to fall apart again. As much as this was hurting, she refused. She just had to hold out a little longer, he was coming back soon. He was coming back. Rayna bit her lip. Who was she kidding? She had no idea when he was coming back. If she was really honest, she had no idea if he was even coming back at all.


	31. Chapter 31

**NB: Gracias, tak, merci, dziekuje, danke...and every other kind of way to say thank you. I love knowing what you think about each new chapter, it makes me smile...I am so greatful for your reviews, you are all so kind. The only reason this chapter is here right now is because I spontaneously took my Macbook with me on a long car trip today and I ended up writing/re-writng/editing/writing and finishing it...Highways can be inspiring, I tell you now...The song in this chapter is 'Ten Days - Missy Higgins' - All copyright to artist...with that being said...PLEASE KEEP YOUR LOVES/HATES/HOPES/COMMENTS/FAVORITE MOMENTS AND LINES/FAVORITES/PMS and WHATEVER ELSE coming...thankyou again..enjoy chapter thirty one...**

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**CHAPTER THIRTY ONE**

**20 days later…**

"Daphne, turn that thing off!" Rayna called as she stormed through the lounge room and into the kitchen to grab the cup of coffee she'd made a good half hour ago. She took a sip and spat it back into the cup.

"Cold." Rayna grimaced, wiping her tongue on her sleeve.

"But I wanna watch it…" Daphne whinged, pointing at the television as she looked at Rayna. "…Mom, you're on TV."

"What?"

"Like, right now. Look."

Rayna frowned as she walked back into the lounge room. She took the remote off Daphne and scrunched up her face when she saw herself on the TV.

_For all the Rayna Jaymes and Juliette Barnes fans out there…Rumor has it that the 'Red Lips, White Lies Tour' is getting back into full swing this Thursday night when Rayna will take to the stage in Louisville for her first show since that disastrous car accident last month. Is it too soon? Or do you think she's ready? Tell us what you-_

Rayna switched the television off and angrily chucked the remote onto the nearest couch as she walked over to the sink.

"Hey, I was watching that, you know." Daphne mumbled, picking up the remote.

"Don't you turn that back on." Rayna warned, shooting Daphne a look as she turned a tap on. "Y'all need to be ready by the time Uncle Bucky gets here…"

Daphne dropped the remote. "I am ready."

"So you're wearin' that to the airport?" Maddie asked, walking into the kitchen. "Pretty..."

Daphne looked down at herself and grinned. She was still in her pyjamas. "Yeah, I think I look real pretty."

"I don't think so…" Rayna hummed, eyes wide as she looked at her youngest. "Upstairs. Now."

Daphne shrugged and skipped towards the stairs. She smiled when she ran into Bucky. "Morning Uncle Bucky!"

"In here, Buck!" Rayna called.

"Mornin' ladies." Bucky smiled, pulling Maddie into a hug as he looked at Rayna. "…It was 8am that I was supposed to be here, right?"

Rayna laughed. "Mmhmm, that was definitely not one of your brightest ideas…."

"I hate to break it to you…but this _bright idea _was all yours." Bucky smirked.

Rayna shot him a look as she wiped down the bench. "Maddie, would you run upstairs and see what your sister's doin'? We need to get goin'."

"Ok." Maddie nodded, quickly disappearing.

Rayna finally took a breath and Bucky smiled warmly. She ran a hand over her face and returned the smile. He scratched his head and crossed his arms.

"So…" Bucky smiled.

"So…" Rayna mimicked.

"You're really ready?" Bucky asked sceptically.

"The doctor's given me the all clear, you know that…you were there." Rayna replied, blowing a loose strand of hair out of her face. "…Buck, I'm ready to get out on the road again, I need to get out on the road…you need to stop worryin' about me…I'll be fine, really."

"I'm not worried about whether you're ready physically…"

Bucky sighed, choosing not to finish that sentence. He was worried about how she would go emotionally. Since the accident, she had been closed off about a lot of things. He knew she was trying to be strong, putting on the face that everyone wanted to see. But he wasn't everybody, he could see right through it. He knew that it had little to do with the accident, and everything to do with the fact that no one had seen or heard from Deacon in over a month. She hadn't said anything about Deacon, but Bucky knew that he was troubling her thoughts and that was what worried him.

"I just want you to be sure about this." He tried, tapping his cell phone on the counter as she hurried back and forth.

"Bucky, I'm sure." Rayna sighed, shutting off the lights. "Girls! You've got 10 seconds to get down those stairs and into Uncle Bucky's car!"

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Alright guys, that was great." Juliette sighed, pulling her earpieces out as she talked to her band. "We're done for today…"

Everyone on the stage looked slightly relieved, each eager to pack up their instruments and flee the stage. Juliette had been anything but warm and forthcoming today. She had snapped on more occasions than one, she even managed to make one of the assistants' run away crying. She hadn't noticed though, she was too angry.

"Same time tomorrow?" a man asked awkwardly, guitar case in hand.

Juliette made a face, suddenly aware that someone was talking to her. Juliette still couldn't believe that this was happening. Because of this whole disappearing stunt Deacon had pulled, she had been forced to hire a new lead guitarist. As far as she was concerned, she didn't like this guitarist at all. But then again, she was almost certain she wouldn't like anyone Glenn hired. She wanted Deacon back.

"Well?" he asked timidly.

Juliette raised her eyebrows and grinned through her teeth. "Same time tomorrow."

The man thanked her and hurried off the stage, leaving her standing there alone. She began to untangle herself from the earpieces and the power pack attached to her jeans.

"What number is he?" Liam called, bounding up the front steps of the stage. "Like five?"

"It's four…" Juliette did a double take and frowned.

"Do you like this one?"

"I hate him."

"Fire him then." Liam shrugged.

"I can't," Juliette rolled her eyes, unclipping the power pack. "no…I'm not gonna fire him. I don't have any other choice right now…the first show is in three days."

"You haven't heard from Deacon?"

"Nope." Juliette replied, muttering expletives. "Is Rayna here yet?"

Liam nodded. "Got here a couple of hours ago."

"I should probably go and say hi and whatever else it is that you say when you haven't seen someone for a while." Juliette mused. "I have no idea what to say to her though…considerin' everythin' she's been through...and then there's...nevermind."

"_You_ know what happened?" Liam asked curiously.

"Everyone knows…it's been all over the television." Juliette replied, ignoring the way that Liam was looking at her.

"No…" He hummed, pointing a finger at Juliette. "You know what really happened."

"You don't?"

"Hello? Why else would I be talking to you?..."

Juliette raised her eyebrows, crossing her arms. "You. Liam? She hasn't told you?"

Liam looked at her vacantly.

"Hmmm…" Juliette furrowed her brow, stepping past him to walk away.

Liam caught her arm, pulling her to a stop. "Uh uh…you don't get to pull some cryptic stuff like that and leave me hanging…Now…you have to tell me."

Juliette grinned. "Sorry, I promised I wouldn't say anythin'."

Liam shook his head, a smile crossing his lips. "Like hell you did."

"I promised."

"Since when do you care about keepin' promises?"

Juliette shot Liam a look and crossed her arms. "I care about keepin' promises…ones that matter anyway."

"You're so full of it." Liam goaded.

"You're just pissed that I know somethin' you don't." Juliette grinned. "It burns doesn't it? It kills when you're left out of the loop..."

"So many things I could say right now…" Liam grinned. He laughed when Juliette went quiet. "Not even a tiny detail of anything? Come on!…"

"Nope." Juliette shook her head. "This is really not mine to tell…"

Liam swore, running his hands over his face. "Great. You do realise you're leaving me blind here?...I have to go back to that hotel and deal with a moody woman and I have no idea what the hell is going on…Maybe I should quit."

Juliette laughed. "You won't quit."

"Today could be the day."

"You won't," She shook her head, tugging at her loose braid. "you can't do that to her."

"Yeah, well." Liam made a face.

"Listen," Juliette spoke, her face serious as she looked at Liam. "go easy on her, ok? I can guarantee that her _mood _doesn't have anythin' to do with anyone out here on-"

"-Yeah I know. It has everythin' to do with Deacon." Liam interjected, crossing his arms as satisfaction crossed his face.

"Yeah." Juliette replied, pursing her lips as she scratched her head.

"I knew it."

"Oh please, we all knew it." Juliette hissed, telling him to keep his voice down.

"That's why you're hiring new guitarists, isn't it?"

"I don't know Liam." Juliette lied.

Liam smiled proudly, pleased that he had gotten something out of Juliette. She didn't feel the same way. Without thinking, Juliette punched him in the arm. Liam swore.

"This is a nightmare." Juliette muttered, covering her face with her hands. "…Deacon needs to be here, it's ridiculous him thinkin' that bein' away from this is gonna solve anythin', runnin' never does a person any good…and I'm not even sayin' this because I want my band leader back…I'm sayin' it because it's true."

"I agree." Liam nodded, cocking his head. "They seriously need to just kiss and make up I swear."

Juliette stifled a laugh, choosing not to comment.

"So…what'd we do?"

"What?"

"I think you should call him."

"Seriously?" Juliette asked flatly, clearly unimpressed with his suggestion. "You can't come up with somethin' more original? I've tried callin' him a hundred times…He's either killed his phone or he's really good at sending calls straight to voicemail…"

"Voicemail?"

"Mmhmm…I've left him so many voice messages, it's beyond a joke." Juliette grimaced, pulling out her cell phone.

"Try him again." Liam pushed.

"No." Juliette groaned, shaking her head. "It's useless. He won't answer, let alone listen to me when I beg him to come back and join the tour."

Liam scoffed and abruptly took the cell phone out of her hands. "Ye of little faith."

"What the hell are you doin'?" Juliette demanded, looking at him sceptically as he dialled Deacon's number.

"I've got an idea."

**- NASHVILLE -**

**2 days…**

"I don't think that's a good idea Rayna, I really don't." Bucky shook his head, following after her as they made their way down the back corridors of the arena.

"What are you talkin' about? It's a fantastic idea."

"You're just addin' more stress to your schedule…and after everything…you don't need that."

"Stress?" Rayna frowned. "It's hardly stress…if anythin', it'll make things easier."

"You're wantin' to pull a good number of songs from your set and add new ones…and you're wantin' to do this in what? One day." Bucky muttered, his tone weary and troubled.

"I'm not gonna switch up the whole set in one day…I'm only pullin' a few songs…" Rayna reasoned, smiling at someone as they walked past a group of sound technicians. "…Changin' my whole set this far into a tour is crazy…I'm not stupid."

"Nope." Bucky agreed. "You're stubborn is what you are."

Rayna swatted his arm and waved a piece of paper in his face. "I need to do it. I'm just…gettin' rid of a few songs…that's all. See have a look…"

Rayna waited patiently as Bucky cleared his throat. He squinted as he read her messy scrawl. He had to force himself to hold his tongue as his eyes travelled down the page. He was more than certain that the songs she wanted to pull were ones that she had co-written with Deacon; one or two of them had been ones that he'd written especially for her to sing. Bucky didn't want to risk questioning it for fear that she might lose it at him. Nevertheless, he knew that she had to be struggling if she had her mind set on chopping and changing so close to show time. Bucky was surprised. He was concerned. She'd never done this before. Never. He wanted so badly to help her, but he didn't know where to start.

"It looks good, right?" Rayna asked, pulling Bucky from his thoughts.

"Mmmm…"

"Good." Rayna smiled, patting his arm as she walked past him and up onto the stage.

Bucky swore, squeezing his eyes shut as he shook his head. Before he could think any better he did what he'd been doing everyday these last few weeks. He dialled Deacon's number, silently hoping that today would be the day he would answer.

**NASHVILLE –**

**Next day…**

"What'd you mean we're not doing that one?" Liam spun around, stopping his nonsense riff on the guitar as he frowned at Rayna.

"Exactly what I said…we're not doin' it." Rayna shrugged, ignoring the shock on his face as she put her earpieces in.

"But it's a crowd favorite! Everyone sings it, we have to do it…" Liam made a face, arms stretched wide as he tried his best to mimic Rayna's voice. "It's a long, long road to independence…but I'm leaving you for T-"

"-Ha ha." Rayna deadpanned.

Unable to hold it together, the band fell into fits of laughter, quickly composing themselves when Rayna made no point of joining in.

"Alright y'all, enough with the jokes…" Rayna drawled, bending down to pick up a bunch of papers. "I don't wanna hear another word about the set changes unless it has somethin' to do with how a song's supposed to sound, where a harmony or a riff is supposed to be, or what it is that I need you to do…are we clear?"

Everyone nodded.

"I'm really not tryin' to be a diva y'all," Rayna sighed, twirling her hair into a messy twist as she spoke. "it's just that I…I need this, ok?"

Everyone nodded again.

"Thank you." Rayna smiled gratefully, walking around the stage to hand out the papers. "I know I'm askin' a lot from y'all and I appreciate it, I do…I'm not expectin' tonight to be anythin' spectacular…but I'm really wantin' to sing this new song I wrote. We'll put it somewhere in the middle of the show, maybe where we have those two other acoustic songs…so…"

Silence fell over the stage as everyone eagerly awaited the sheet music. Even before Rayna handed out the last sheet, she could hear people mumbling the lyrics to themselves as they tried to articulate chord progressions and how everything fit together.

"The song is a bit slower," Rayna spoke up, trying to answer the unspoken questions as she read everyone's facial expressions. "…real easy…Liam picked it up pretty quick last night…"

Liam walked over to Rayna, already playing the beginnings of the opening riff. "Maybe this will all be quicker if you just sing it for them?"

Rayna nodded, walking over to the microphone stand in the middle of the stage to unclip the microphone.

"Ok guys. Listen up!" Liam called, still playing the opening riff. "This is what we're gonna do…Rayna's gonna sing, and if you think you can pick it up…join us."

Rayna smirked. "I think I could've done that."

Liam shrugged, smiling happily as he rocked back and forth and strummed the guitar. He nodded towards her microphone. "Ready whenever you are, I'll follow you…"

Rayna nodded, adjusting an earpiece as she gathered her nerves and focused on the lyrics. Slowly, she raised the microphone to mouth and sang softly. "So we've put an end to it this time…I'm no longer yours, and you're no longer mine."

Rayna swallowed hard, trying to keep her emotions in check. "You said this hill looks far too steep if I'm not even sure it's me you wanna keep."

Liam smiled encouragingly before he gestured to the other guitarist to join them. Rayna fixed her attention on delivering the next lines as she closed her eyes. Her voice has strained, and her tone fragile. "And it's been ten days without you in my reach…and the only time I've touched you is in my sleep."

Rayna shuddered. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she'd seen Deacon's face; she'd given up counting because every time she'd done that it had unravelled her. Standing here now though, she knew it had been more than ten days, it had definitely been longer than that. She'd forgotten the last night she'd slept well. Some nights she lay wide awake, twisted in her sheets as she struggled to escape her own thoughts; his fingers intertwined with hers, the way he looked at her, and the way his lips felt against hers. If anything, those nights were the good ones because they were bearable. The nights when she woke to an empty bed and the reality of her dreams only being dreams, they were the torturous nights. This song had come from a night just like that.

Rayna let the memories fill her as she thought back to the early hours of that morning when it had been just her and a guitar. It had been ten days since she had seen deacon, ten days of restless terror. She'd tried willing herself to sleep but it'd been useless so she had retreated to her music room. She hadn't gone there with the intention of writing anything, but before she knew it she was scribbling down lyrics and humming a melody. Rayna wasn't even sure if anyone would like the song, but then again she hadn't written it for anyone but herself. In the quiet, and in those moments of solitude she had been able to voice the deep pain that she was keeping inside, and she was able to really be honest about how it was that she was feeling.

Liam played a spontaneous riff, pulling Rayna out of her own thoughts as she concentrated on what she was supposed to be doing. Liam swayed in her direction to cue her into the next verse.

Rayna nodded, pulling at a loose strand of hair as she walked in circles. "You won't talk me into it next time, if I'm goin' away your hearts coming too. And I miss your hands I miss your face. When I get back let's disappear without a trace."

The bass player joined Liam and the other guitarist, conjuring a small smile from Rayna as she quickly uttered the word chorus and took a breath. "'Cos baby time has changed nothin' at all…you're still the only one that feels like home. And I've tried cuttin' the ropes, I let you go but you're still the only one that feels like home."

She began to walk in a straight line, back and forth across the stage as she sang. "Yeah, you're still the only one that feels like home…"

Rayna shivered, immediately looking up. Her eyes darted around as she tried to remember the next line. There were eyes on her, she could feel them piercing into her skin but she couldn't find who they belonged to. Turning on her heel to face the band, she pushed it out of her mind and focused on the song.

"You're still the only one I've gotta love…" She sang restlessly, unable to stop herself from wavering as she sang the last words.

The band came to a disjointed stop when they all caught sight of something behind Rayna. Liam's fingers jarred and his expression changed, surprise overwhelming him. Rayna frowned and everyone desperately tried to avoid making eye contact with her.

Confused, she whirled around and nearly tripped over her feet as her eyes met someone else's. "Deacon?!"


	32. Chapter 32

**NB: I'm so grateful that people are still faithfully following BRAVE FACE, I truly appreciate each and every single reader and reviewer. You are all so kind and every sort of wonderful. The song in this chapter is 'How Long Have You Known - The McClymonts' - I don't own anything, all copyright to the artist. PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/THOUGHTS/FOLLOWS/FAVORITES/COMMENTS/HO PES/FAVORITE MOMENTS AND LINES/PMS and WHATEVER ELSE coming...now that I've rambled, here is chapter thirty two...**

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**CHAPTER THIRTY TWO**

Dazed and speechless, Rayna stood frozen in place as her eyes locked with Deacon's. A violent wave of nausea washed over her as she felt her insides spin. He was here. Deacon was standing right in front of her. She wanted to scream, she wanted to yell. She needed to say something, anything.

"What are you doin' here?" Rayna managed, her voice echoing in the silence as everything seemed to go quiet around her.

Stood in front of the stage, Deacon stared up at her. No words came, no reply, just silence.

"Deacon?..." Rayna tried, choking on the word. He was standing there, wasn't he?

"I'm lookin' for Juliette…" Deacon staggered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "…_and_ I take it she ain't here…"

Rayna looked at him blankly. Startlingly, Deacon tore his eyes away from hers and he swiftly made his way to the nearest exit door, flinging it wide open.

Watching him walk away, Rayna didn't make a sound. The reality of seeing him in the flesh had kicked her in the stomach, leaving her mute. Rayna could feel her body shaking. She wasn't prepared for this. Deacon. He was back.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"You lied to me!" Deacon fumed, pacing back and forth.

"Technically, it was Liam that left the message, so…I didn't lie…and it was hardly lyin' Deacon...he just didn't tell you everythin'…." Juliette corrected him, pulling her hair out of a ponytail as she sat in the make up chair in her dressing room.

"You said that the tour was falling apart…" Deacon spat, pointing in the direction of the main arena.

"Liam said." Juliette interjected.

"_Liam_ said that Rayna was burnin' out, havin' a breakdown or whatever the hell it was that y'all said in that damn message."

Juliette rolled her eyes and picked up her cell phone, ignoring the glare Deacon was giving her. "Well…"

"I'm tellin' you now…that's the last thing she seems to be…she looks fine to me…She's out there changin' her set, pullin' songs that I, that we wro-" Deacon spat, stopping mid sentence. "Believe me, she's fine…"

"For someone who's been noticeably _absent_ for the last few weeks…you sure seem to think you know a lot about how things have been, how people have been…" Juliette shrugged, her fingers moving quickly over the keypad on her cell phone.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Whatever you want it to mean."

"You're the one that lied, Juliette…" Deacon shook his head.

"And you're the one who has no idea what it's been like dealin' with the mess…_You_ haven't been here." Juliette countered, looking in the mirror to meet his gaze. "…Deacon, you don't have the slightest idea…so come off sayin' that you think she's fine…she's not."

Deacon clenched his jaw, struggling to remain level-headed. Maybe this was a really bad idea. He'd been back five minutes and he already wanted to leave. He knew that coming back would warrant question upon question from everyone, especially now that he'd finally shown his face. He wasn't sure why exactly he'd stayed away so long, or why it was that he'd decided to cut contact. He'd jumped in his car and driven aimlessly, hoping the open road would free him from the pent-up confusion and hurt that had circled around him. Thoughts of the accident, the truth about Maddie's paternity, Rayna, the aftermath of the accident, and his run in with Teddy, they were all suffocating him. Everything had left him unsure of how it was he was supposed to feel, and how it was he was supposed to be. He'd considered checking himself into rehab, but he disregarded it quickly; alcohol wasn't his problem this time, his own thoughts and feelings were what was tormenting him. So he did the one thing that felt right, he drove.

One day turned into two, and a week into three. Before he knew it, he'd lost count of the number of days since he'd left Nashville. He drove through town after town, meeting new faces and writing new songs as time went by. He was finally feeling like he could breathe again, the open road and change of scenery bringing clarity. He'd become good at ignoring his cell phone too; it had found a home in the glove compartment in his car. Until five days ago, he only ever pulled it out to remind himself that it was still there. He didn't know what possessed him to do it, but he turned the cell phone on while he ate a sandwich from a shifty takeaway shop. He watched in amazement as it buzzed angrily, a steady hum flowing as message after message filled his inbox. Reluctantly, he dialled a number and began to listen to his voice messages. His hands shook when he heard Rayna's voice, fragile and low. Impulsively, he ripped the cell phone away from his ear and hit number 5 on the keypad to delete the message. Deacon continued like this, listening to people's messages and deleting ones from Rayna; he couldn't bring himself to listen to them. He didn't know why, but he couldn't do it. Finally, there was that one from Liam that mentioned Rayna and pleaded with him to come back and join the tour. It had taken him by surprise. Liam never called him. Never. Deacon didn't want to admit it, but it was Liam's message that tipped him over the edge, bringing reality down with a crash. Before he knew it, he was checking out of a hotel and heading for Louisville.

"Are you even listenin' to me?" Juliette exclaimed, glaring at him angrily when he didn't reply. Deacon's eyes shot up as he swore under his breath, realising that he'd tuned her out and now he was paying for it. "You know what? I get that things haven't been easy for you either, I do…but you could've called….Do you know how many people have been tryin' to get a hold of you? I mean, I called you like, I dunno, a lot."

"Juliette." Deacon sighed, slightly angry that she was making comments like that. "I really don't wanna talk about this right now…just drop it."

"If you're gonna be pissed at me then you might as well leave." Juliette shrugged, changing tracks as she chucked her cell phone onto the counter in front of her.

"What?" Deacon choked, taken off guard. He didn't want to leave.

"You're _so_ angry because you were lied to." Juliette muttered factiously, intending to irritate him. "…You might as well just leave…."

Deacon cleared his throat, shifting on his feet. He was so confused. First, Juliette wanted him back here on the tour, and now she was telling him to leave. "Wh…? No. I'm not goin' anywhere."

"No." Juliette shook her head, trying to hide the smirk when Deacon got flustered. "You clearly don't want to be here. Just go.."

"I'm not even answerin' that." Deacon scoffed, turning to make his way to the door. "You're actin' like a child."

"Hey!" Juliette frowned. "What are you doin'? I'm not finished."

"I take it that you haven't done your sound check yet?" he asked, nodding when Juliette shook her head. "That's what I thought. Someone needs to go get the band prepped."

Deacon walked out and Juliette swore, gracelessly falling out of the chair as she stumbled after him. "So you're stayin'?"

"What kind of question is that?"

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Rehearsal is over." Liam muttered, waving his hands around at the band as he broke into a run down the stage steps. "Rayna! Would you slow down a minute!"

She made no point of listening. Instead, she walked. She walked quickly, making a beeline for her dressing room.

"Rayna!"

Rayna walked into her dressing room and slammed the door in Liam's face. Liam laughed. Without a hitch, he opened the door and entered the room, ignoring the obvious fact that she clearly wanted to be alone. She collapsed on a lounge, her fingers covering her face.

"Hey…" Liam called, hoping to get her attention. "Hello? Earth to Rayna…"

"I can't hear you." She mumbled.

"Really?" Liam smiled. "Because it kinda sounds like you can."

"Seriously…I'm not in the mood for this."

"Yeah well, neither am I."

"Liam."

"Rayna."

"Did you know about Deacon comin' back today?" Rayna asked, dropping her hands from her face to look at him.

Liam laughed awkwardly, hesitantly sitting down next to her. "You see, the thing is-"

"-Ok, don't answer that." Rayna interjected, shaking her head. "I don't wanna know what you know."

They sat in silence for a few moments, both contemplating the best way to navigate the conversation.

"Are you ok?" Liam tried.

"Mmhmm."

"You haven't seen him since the accident, have you?"

Rayna grimaced, looking at the ceiling. "Nope."

"No phone calls, messages, no nothing?"

"Nope." Rayna drawled, biting her tongue to stop herself from crying.

"Seriously?" Liam frowned.

"I said no."

Liam studied her closely, cocking his head as he watched her try to control her expression. "So then, you're not ok."

Rayna swallowed hard, ignoring the lump in her throat. "No…I guess I'm not."

"You wanna talk about it?" Liam asked, trying to get her to look at him. "You know, I may not be the best person to give advice…but I've been told that I'm a real good listener…especially for emotionally charged women..."

"Is that right?" Rayna smiled weakly.

"That's right."

"I appreciate it, I do." She sighed, sitting up straighter as she cleared her throat. "But this is somethin' that I can't really be talkin' to you about…."

"So go find Deacon then. I'm sure he's hidin' round some-"

Rayna shot him a look, laughing uneasily as she shook her head. "No. Mmm Mmm. I'm not gonna go lookin' for him."

"Wh-?"

"-I'm not. That's not happenin'."

"Ok." Liam made a face, holding his hands up. "I just thought…"

"Yeah…stop thinkin', ok?…."

"Hey, if you're happy brooding…" He mumbled, looking away as he spoke so she couldn't hear him.

Rayna closed her eyes, standing up quickly as she swung her arms around and took a few deep breaths. "Alright, enough. I'm good. I'm fine. We have a sound check to finish."

"No we don't."

"What'd you mean _no we don't_?" Rayna frowned, looking up at the clock above the door. "Accordin' to that clock up there, we have a good 25 minutes left."

"I didn't know how long _this…_." Liam replied, gesturing around the room. "would take, so I sent everyone away."

Rayna shook her head and opened the door. She smiled, raising an eyebrow. "Well, you let everyone know that we'll be meetin' them on the stage in 5."

"Juliette's band is gonna be setting up, Rayna…it's not-"

"-We've still got 25 minutes."

"It's…" Liam tried, cutting the sentence short when Rayna left the room. "Ok. Fine."

**-NASHVILLE-**

"One, two, three, four." Liam yelled, counting in the drummer as he led with the familiar riff of one of the songs off the new record.

The stage came to life, the sound punchy and electric as more musicians joined the song and followed Liam's lead. Liam looked up at Rayna and made a face. She laughed.

Initially, she'd been hesitant about singing this song because she wasn't sure how people would take it. She and Liam had written it on that three-day writing trip after her disastrous, drunken meltdown in Los Angeles a while back. Because she hadn't been sure, it had sat at the bottom of their collection of songs to record until a week and a half ago. Liam had pulled it out by accident and after a good half hour of back and forth arguing he'd reminded her why she loved it and convinced her to record it. She hadn't intended to add it to her set tonight, but impulse got the better of her. Quite frankly, she wanted to do it because she knew that Deacon would hate her singing a song she'd written with Liam.

Rayna shook her head, adjusting an earpiece when she heard her cue. She held the microphone up to her mouth and pushed every angry and frustrated emotion into the lyrics as she sang. "You had some dirty secrets hidden under your smile by the way you're so together must have had this planned for a while. I've been too nice and worn my heart on my sleeve…and all the things I gave to you are comin' back to bite me, and you are no longer we…look me in the eye and tell me one thing…."

Rayna pointed to her back up singers, grinning as they joined her. "How long have you known it was gonna be over? How long have you known you were gonna leave? Did you know last night when we were makin' lov-"

"-Y'all about done yet?!" Deacon yelled over the music, jogging up the stairs with a number of musicians from Juliette's band.

Their sudden arrival took Rayna's whole band by surprise and they came to a hasty stop, all confused as to what was happening. Abruptly, Rayna turned on her heel to face Deacon, frustration weighing heavy on her face. She'd been a mess when she'd caught sight of him earlier. Not now. Now she was down right mad.

"Hello to you, too." Rayna greeted dryly, scratching her head as she willed herself to keep calm.

"Is that a new song? It's real _nice_." Deacon responded quickly, his tone sarcastic and words insincere.

She smiled through her teeth, struggling to keep her tone neutral. "Mmmm…It's real _nice_ to see you."

Deacon remained tight-lipped, ignoring Rayna's hit as he pointed to the stage. "…Don't know if y'all are aware of it or not…but the stage became ours 10 minutes ago, so..."

"Just showin' up whenever the hell you feel like it…" Rayna muttered angrily, crossing her arms as she took note of all the onlookers. "Never mind all the calls, the messages I left…You just do whatever you want, it's fine, really."

"It's our turn to sound check now." Deacon replied, still ignoring Rayna's attacks. He was just as angry as she was, but he wasn't going to have this conversation here.

"Well, we're not finished…so."

"The stage is ours."

"We're not done." Rayna glared at him; smile wide as she stepped towards him.

"Yes, you are." Deacon matched her, taking a step towards her.

Tension flooded the stage and both bands stood motionless, all fearful to move. There had been obvious talk on tour buses and lunch breaks about Deacon and Rayna over the last few weeks. Talk about the accident and rumours of a romantic relationship; the list went on and on. If anything, the crew and everyone involved with the tour had been hoping for some beautiful reunion if Deacon decided by chance to come back. This however had been the last thing anyone had expected.

"Deacon, are you kiddin' me?"

"I don't usually tend to _kid." _Deacon said spitefully, dropping to his knees to unlock his guitar case. "But, if y'all wanna continue that's fine…we'll just set up and you can all do your thing around us."

"Juliette's not even here yet." Rayna put a hand to her hip. "Can't y'all have the decency to at least let us finish?"

"Like I said, you're welcome to continue…you'll just have to make do with us settin' ourselves up." Deacon shrugged.

"You-" Rayna started.

"-Alright, let's go people!" Juliette called excitedly, running up the steps and onto the crowded stage. Raising her eyebrows, she looked around at everyone suspiciously. She clearly had no idea what she'd just walked in to.

Deacon looked over at Rayna and gave her a knowing look.

Rayna swore under her breath. She paused for a brief moment, tightening her grip on the microphone before she angrily walked off the stage. Awkwardly, her band looked around for direction as Juliette's band began to spread across the stage.

"Now…" Liam grimaced, gesturing loosely between different people. "Rehearsal is over."

"What the hell did I miss?" Juliette whispered, sidling up to Liam as she watched the change over between bands take place.

"Oh you know, nothing major…Mom and Dad are at it again…" Liam replied, smiling as he waved at several musicians leaving the stage.

Juliette grimaced. "How bad was it?"

"No one had any idea what the hell was going on, I think they were fightin' over a stage...but then again, I have no idea…" Liam frowned, recalling what had just happened. "…It was bad."

"And…" Juliette made a face, twirling her finger as she tried to coax more out of him.

Liam nodded at Deacon, smiling as he spoke lowly to Juliette. "Let's just say that I don't think either of them are ready to play nice anytime soon."

"I hope for all of our sakes that you're wrong." Juliette pulled out her cell phone, quickly searching for their schedule. "…I haven't told Deacon yet, but we have-"

"-that magazine thing in Nashville tomorrow..." Liam interrupted, finishing her sentence. "…yeah, I'm well aware of that."

"Kill me now." Juliette blew heavily, resting her hands on her head as she looked at him. "This is gonna be Katie Couric all over again, isn't it?"

"No, I'm gonna hazard a guess and say that this could possibly be worse."

* * *

**A/N: I don't usually do this, but there are a few reviewers I wanted to reply to but had no way of doing so because they reviewed as guests...LIZZYT - Thank you a hundred and one times over for reading BRAVE FACE, you are truly kind. GUEST (and anyone else wondering) - The LITTLE VOICE follow up is still sitting in the back of my mind...it hasn't been forgotten...but for now, BRAVE FACE is what I am fixated on. **


	33. Chapter 33

**NB: Thank you. Reviewers. Readers. Everyone. Thank you. I appreciate you all. PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/HOPES/COMMENTS/FAVORITE MOMENTS AND LINES/THOUGHTS and WHATEVER ELSE coming...I appreciate every one...enjoy chapter thirty three...**

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY THREE**

"Good morning sunshine!" Liam chirped, laughing loudly when Rayna flinched. She was still half asleep. "Where's that pretty smile?"

"It's 6:30…How you classify that as mornin', I do not know…." Rayna mumbled, holding a hand up to his chest to stop him from coming any closer. "Coffee first. I need coffee before you and I can even try talkin'."

"So...no smiles then?" He mocked.

"I'm savin' it all for the cameras." She replied dryly, waving gratefully at Bucky when she caught sight of him.

"Good mornin'." Bucky greeted, kissing her on the cheek before handing her a fresh cup of coffee.

Rayna's eyes lit up as she clutched the steaming hot drink tightly. "Have I ever told you that I love you?"

"Not nearly enough." Bucky laughed, sizing up the sleep-deprived woman. "This'll be good publicity for the tour. I didn't agree to it because I felt like torturin' you with an early start."

"Mmhmmm."

"People Country approached us, it wasn't the other way around…it fit into our schedule, barely, but it-"

"-Bucky it's fine, really." Rayna shushed, taking a sip of coffee. "I've had more time off this last month than I've had for the last 5 years…It's time things got back to normal I guess. This is exactly what I need."

"Get outta my face, Liam." Juliette warned, pushing past Liam as she and Deacon walked through the doors of the studio. "I'll break your nose if you touch me again."

"Am I the only one that's in a good mood?" Liam grinned, spinning around childishly before following them to the hair and make up station situated at the back of the studio.

Rayna did a double take, her eyes fixed on Deacon as she watched him walk. "I didn't know that this um…"

"The magazine is wantin' the article to feature both headliners of the Red Lips, White Lies Tour...They're wantin' to focus on the final leg of the tour…" Bucky tried, reading her expression. "…You brought Liam, I guess she brought Deacon."

Rayna gulped her coffee, letting the liquid burn as she swallowed hard. "So, he's back then…really back."

"I guess so."

"Alright then," Rayna sighed wearily, clumsily tugging at the loose bun on the top of her head to let her hair fall freely over her shoulders. "let's get this over with."

**- NASHVILLE -**

"It's definitely daring…. " Rayna laughed, spinning on her tiptoes to get a better look in the mirror at the dress the stylist had pulled for her to wear. It was a short, tight-fitting, red lacy dress with long sleeves. The dress fit her body in all the right places, accentuating the best of her features.

"You don't like it, do you?" the stylist asked, holding dresses in her hands.

"No, I love it." Rayna smiled, flicking a loose curl out of her eyes. "I think."

"It looks good on you, I won't lie." the stylist mused, nodding her head in approval. "Very sexy…."

Rayna tugged at the hem of the dress in an attempt to cover more leg. She giggled when she caught the stylist making a face. "Very short…"

"Well, you do have the legs for it…I'm tellin' you now." the stylist smirked, handing her a pair of heels.

"I'll take your word for it." Rayna scrunched up her face.

They both laughed.

"If you're happy, we're done..You my dear, are ready to go and work it for that camera." the stylist smiled, taking a few steps away from her to get a better look.

Rayna chuckled, fixing her sleeves as she began to walk, following the voices until she found Liam and Bucky talking with the photographer. "Hey, y'all."

"Wow." Liam mouthed, eyes wide as they travelled up and down her body.

Rayna pushed him off balance and rolled her eyes. "Quit lookin' at me like that."

"Like what?" Liam scoffed, smiling giddily. "If I've never told you that you're sexy...now is the time to apologise-"

"-Ray, this is Olivia Lindbergh…the photographer." Bucky introduced, interrupting Rayna and Liam's banter.

"Nice to meet you." Rayna grinned, holding out a hand.

"Likewise." Olivia smiled, shaking Rayna's hand. "I'm a huge fan…"

"Mary Jane…" Bucky squinted, looking around the studio. "was here before…she must've gone out. Anyway, she's the one doin' the interview…so I guess she'll be back after the shoot."

Rayna nodded, swatting Liam's hand away when he tried to fix her hair. He began mumbling stupid things, sadly attempting to compliment her. Rayna laughed loudly as she looked at Olivia desperately, distancing herself from Liam. "Help me. Where do you want us?"

Olivia looked at the white backdrop and the space they'd set up for the shoot. Music blared throughout the studio, lights were being adjusted, and stylists and assistants were hovering around computer monitors in anticipation. She looked back at Rayna. "We're still waiting on the others, correct?"

"Mmhmm…"

"Well, you're free to do whatever you want while we wait."

Rayna grinned, dancing on the spot to get all the nerves out of her system when she recognised the song. They attracted wolf whistles and applause when Liam took her hand, twirling her in a circle as they danced in time with the music.

"Alright, here we go!" Olivia smiled, pulling Rayna and Liam's attention back to her when she pointed to Juliette and Deacon.

Rayna came to a stand still, untangling her hands from Liam's. She tryed very hard not to let her eyes linger too long when she looked at Deacon. She swore under her breath when she failed miserably. He looked good in that suit. Rayna couldn't help but notice that he seemed a little dazed, he was sweating. She chose to focus on the stylist that had appeared to do a final touch up on her make up, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on anything but Deacon. Rayna blushed, recognition filling her body. She didn't have to look at Deacon again to know that he was feeling what she was feeling. She smiled. Just like she was trying not to look at him, he was trying awful hard not to look at her too.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Flash after flash, pose after pose, smile after smile. Time flew as everyone relaxed into the shoot, following Olivia's direction as she tried to get the shots she wanted.

"Ok. One. Two. Three. Hold it there." Olivia instructed, camera at the ready. Everyone smiled and seconds later the flash went off several times. "Perfect. That was great."

They all relaxed, changing positions, as they stood side-by-side waiting for Olivia's direction. Suddenly, 'Love Like Mine' began to boom through the speakers and Liam keeled over laughing, mumbling insults about song.

"I don't need your sympathy…" Rayna sang loudly, intentionally singing off key as she and Liam sang together. "I might stay up drunk on wine, hurt like hell, and ugly cryin' black mascara tea-"

Deacon clenched his jaw, clearly not impressed by Liam and Rayna's escapades. He and Rayna might not have been on the best of terms, but it still frustrated him to see her laughing with Liam. He hated it, it made his skin crawl.

"-Y'all know I can hear you, right?" Juliette frowned, arms crossed as they kept singing. "I'm right here…"

"Ok, ok." Olivia giggled, breaking up the frivolity as she cocked her head. "I just wanna try something…"

Deacon, Juliette, Rayna and Liam looked at her curiously.

"Liam, can I get you to move over to the left next to Juliette please…" Olivia spoke up, waving him over to the left so that he stood next to Juliette. "Great...and Deacon, can you come on over to the right next to Rayna please."

Reluctantly, Deacon moved, awkwardly sidestepping Rayna till he stood to her right. She smiled hesitantly, quickly looking straight ahead at the camera. He followed her lead, trying to ignore the obvious tension between them.

"Ok, great." Olivia nodded, scratching her head. "Actually no, maybe a little closer…Let's make it tighter, can you all come on in a little closer?"

With great difficulty and reservation, they all shuffled closer together, posing the way that Olivia wanted. There was a time for arguing, and there was a time for just doing you're you were told. This was the latter. Flashes went off, lights were adjusted, hair and make up fixed, positions were changed and pictures were checked. Rayna's face hurt from smiling, the whole process was draining. She'd been so focused on keeping a good distance between her and Deacon that she jumped when she felt his hand on the small of her back.

"That's it." Olivia yelped, cocking her head to look at everyone. "Hold that."

Rayna didn't breathe; she tried with every fibre of her being not to react to his touch. She shivered. He was so close. She could feel his breath hot on her neck.

A flash went off. Once. Twice. Three times.

"Juliette, chin down. Liam, look at me. Ok great, that's perfect." Olivia called, clicking the button on her camera. "Deacon, step just a little closer to Rayna. Yep, like that. Can you put your arm around her waist?"

Liam and Juliette looked at each other fleetingly, both holding their breaths as they turned to look at Deacon and Rayna. This was going to go well, or they were going to shoot the photographer down.

"Do you need me to put my arm around Juliette's waist, too?" Liam joked, trying to cover any tension between Deacon and Rayna.

Olivia laughed.

"Is that really ne-?" Rayna started, stopping short when Deacon stepped closer and pulled her into him, his right hand pressed firmly to her right hip. She coughed, trying her best not squirm as she did her best to stay composed.

"Perfect. That's great." Olivia smiled widely, happily clicking away. "Closer..mmhmm. Move your hand so that…yep…perfect…stop, stop hold that…And Rayna, can you just…Juliette, tilt your head back just a little…Liam…Mmhmm, that's great…You are all looking amazing."

They all got lost in whirlwind of flashes and smiling, each focused on doing what they were told. Slowly, Deacon and Rayna loosened up, playing off each other for the camera. They smiled, made faces and let their hands wander, all throwing in an inappropriate pose or comment as Olivia tried to get the shots she wanted.

"Ok, hold that for just a sec." She pointed at her camera. "Let us just check these.

"Alright now, hands off buddy…" Juliette frowned, methodically freeing herself from Liam's hold.

"You love it." Liam goaded.

Deacon swallowed hard, unsure of whether to hold onto Rayna or let go. His hands were resting on her waist, the side of her body pressed firmly against him. He looked down at Rayna; she was staring off into the distance. Her expression made it clear that she was struggling with the same thought. His eyes travelled up and down her body, taking in each of her features. She looked incredible. The dress hugged her body, leaving very little to the imagination. She had ruined him when he'd first caught sight of her earlier; the dress, her smile, her. Looking at Rayna now and feeling her so close, he realised how much he'd missed her. He was so captivated and lost in his own thoughts that he stumbled backwards, letting go of her awkwardly when he realised she was looking up at him strangely.

"Sorry." He stammered, wiping his hands on his trousers.

"Sorry." Rayna mimicked, unsure of what she was actually apologising for.

They both stood awkwardly in silence, ignoring Liam and Juliette's arguing behind them.

"Ok, I think we're done!" Olivia announced proudly, walking over to them. Stylists and assistants began clapping, congratulating everyone on a job well done. "There are some great shots…I'm really happy with what we did today. Thank you so much for letting me shoot you today…it's been incredible."

Liam, Juliette, Rayna and Deacon clapped, praising Olivia and her talent as Bucky and Glenn walked into view.

"Mary Jane's here for that interview." Bucky called, stopping abruptly to do a double take at the monitor that a number of assistants were standing around. He smirked, shaking his head as he turned his attention back to them. "She'll be ready for y'all in 10."

Everyone nodded, thanking Olivia again as they wandered off towards the lounges next to the hair and make up station. Curious as to what Bucky had been looking at, Rayna slowed her pace when she walked past the computer monitors.

"They're great." one assistant praised, mumbling something about the lighting of the photograph as he pointed to the screen. "That is...you know, that's such a great shot."

"Mmhmmm, I agree."

Rayna squinted, straining to see what they were looking at. She gulped, traces of red colouring her cheeks. The photo everyone seemed to be fascinated with was one of her and Deacon. Olivia must've taken it when they hadn't been paying attention. Rayna looked closer. In the shot, she was looking directly into the camera, poised and confident, waiting for direction. Deacon had his hand around her waist, his face inches from hers as he smiled softly. The way he was looking at her in the photo sent shivers down her spine. She knew that look, she knew it well. If any of those assistants and editors were really honest, they weren't fascinated with the photograph because it had been a well set up shot. It was that look that did it, the look in Deacon's eyes that captured everything he felt for her.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"I guess the obvious question to start with is…How are you all doing? After something as traumatic as what you've all been through with that accident, we're surprised that you're wanting to finish the tour off at all!"

"Well, we're fine." Juliette piped up, gesturing between Liam and herself.

Everyone laughed.

"Of course we're wantin' to finish off this tour! We're doin' a lot better, thank you." Rayna smiled grimly, bracing herself for what appeared to be the beginnings of an intrusive interview. "We're so thankful for the support of our fans, especially the ones who've been waitin' patiently to see the show…."

"Mmhmm," Juliette agreed, taking a sip of water. "so thankful."

"You know, somethin' like this…it forces you to take a long hard look at your life and figure out what's important, whose important…and you know at the end of the day, it's your family and the ones you love that should mean everythin'…that's what matters." Rayna spoke up, unsure of the point she was trying to make.

"When you care about the ones you _love_, and you're truly _honest_ with them…" Deacon added, his eyes flicking in Rayna's direction. "_That's_ what matters."

Rayna hesitated, biting her tongue. _Where did that come from?_ She decided to ignore his comment and she smiled at Mary Jane. "We're just so happy to be gettin' back on the road again…really, we are."

"I guess what's good about a tour like yours is that you seem to have grown close. You obviously have history of working together…That would've really helped in the aftermath of the accident…" Mary Jane smiled, gesturing between Deacon and Rayna. "I mean, despite all those ugly rumors, it must've been comforting to have each other, right?"

Eyes wide, Liam stifled a laugh and Juliette dug her heel into his foot to stop him from drawing unwanted attention. Tight-lipped, Rayna turned to face Deacon, eager to see how he'd answer this question considering she still had no idea how to answer it herself.

"The thing is Mary Jane, we all have different ways of workin' through things…no way is right, and no way is wrong." Deacon started, carefully choosing his words as he tried to keep his tone level. "…Sometimes you surround yourself with people…other times you need to regroup, go away and work at it on your own."

"So is that what you did?" Mary Jane asked. "Regrouped?"

"To a degree." Deacon mumbled, clenching his jaw. He knew he was already digging a hole when it came to Rayna, he didn't need someone helping him to do it.

"To a degree…" Rayna repeated, laughing a little as she stopped herself from taking a direct hit at him. "You're funny."

"So funny." Liam and Juliette laughed excessively, causing Mary Jane to shot them a strange look.

"There's nothin' wrong with doin' that." Deacon replied his tone straight.

"It's been a long month. Let's just leave it at that." Rayna coughed, avoiding Deacon's gaze.

"Well, you're all back together again, so that's something!"

"Yay!" Liam and Juliette cheered in unison, trying to cut the tension. It didn't work.

"I agree, that sure is somethin'." Rayna shot, speaking loud enough for Deacon to hear.

He glared at her.

"Do y'all have any big plans for this last leg of the tour?" Mary Jane asked.

"Mmmm…Well," Juliette piped up, smile wide. "I've definitely grown as an artist throughout this whole process and I'm really hopin' that people see that in the comin' shows…We're workin' on incorporatin' a few newer, and perhaps more mature songs into my set which I'm so excited about…I honestly can't wait!"

"She has come a long way." Deacon agreed, nodding his approval when Juliette thanked him.

"What about you guys?"

"Well, as y'all know, we've." Rayna replied, gesturing between her and Liam. "been workin' on a new record so we're kind of testin' the waters with new songs…seein' how audiences react to them and writin' new material too…so, there's definitely gonna be a lot more new ones for y'all to hear."

"And old ones…well, the cool ones at least." Liam smirked.

Deacon frowned. Liam was lucky to be sitting on the lounge opposite him.

"This all sounds so great." Mary Jane grinned, catching Bucky out of the corner of her eye. He was signalling that it was time to wind things up. "So, is there anything else you wanna let people know about with what's to come on the final leg of the Red Lips, White Lies Tour?"

"Nope." Deacon shook his head, forcing a smile. He didn't want to say anything that would add more fuel to the fire of a foreseeable argument he and Rayna would surely have. She was angry. He was angry. They were both angry.

"Just that…" Rayna started, considering what to say next. "we're lookin' forward to puttin' on the best lot of shows we can for y'all…This is somethin' we believe in, somethin' we love and we're lookin' forward to sharin' it with you."

"Everythin' she said." Juliette grinned awkwardly.

"So…everyone buy tickets otherwise we'll be playing in empty arenas and that'll be boring as hell." Liam added quickly.

Everyone laughed as they stood up, all eager for the interview to be over. They said their goodbyes and hurried to different places around the studio; changing out of clothes, changing into clothes, thanking stylists, posing for photos, signing autographs and making jokes. Eventually, Bucky and Glenn were ushering them all out of the studio, making excuses as walked.

"Wasn't that fun?" Liam chirped, slinging his arm around Rayna's shoulder.

"It was great…." Rayna nodded sarcastically, pushing his arm off her shoulder before she sidled up to Bucky to ask him something.

Liam looked around for Juliette, subtly falling into step with her as they walked.

Juliette cocked her head, crossing her arms as her eyes darted between Deacon and Rayna. "That didn't go too badly…"

"No, it didn't."

"How come I still feel like we haven't seen the worst of it yet?"

"Because we probably haven't." Liam replied, clearly shocked that Juliette thought that Rayna and Deacon were suddenly through with whatever storm they had brewing.

"Alright, listen up." Buck called, bringing attention to himself. "We leave at 1pm for Kansis City…Do not be late. I repeat, do not be late."

"We'll be there," Rayna grinned. "…as for Juliette, I dunno if we can say the same…"

Liam laughed, pointing a finger at Juliette.

"I think y'all are forgettin' who owns the jet you're flyin' on…" Juliette smirked. "I'll make y'all walk to Kansis City…then we'll see whose gonna be late, hey?"


	34. Chapter 34

**NB: Thank you for your kindness dear readers and reviewers. Y'all are something wonderful. PLEASE KEEP YOUR LOVES/HATES/HOPES/COMMENTS/FAVORITE MOMENTS AND LINES/FAVORITES/THOUGHTS/PMS and WHATVER ELSE coming...I really appreciate it...enjoy chapter thirty four..**

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**CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR**

**Next day…**

"Thank you." Rayna smiled, taking a water bottle off Bucky as they wandered in the direction of her dressing room.

"You're welcome." He replied, bumping her shoulder as they walked. "You did good tonight."

"I'm glad one of us thinks that." Rayna grimaced, waving to somebody that passed by them.

"You put on a good show, Ray." Bucky encouraged, patting her on the elbow. "Really, you did. "

"Thanks Buck."

Bucky's face changed as he recalled something. He pulled out her cell phone, quickly handing it to her. "Before I forget…the girls called just after you walked onto the stage. I couldn't figure out if it was Maddie or if it was Daphne...there seemed to be quite a lot of arguin' on their end. Anyway, they wanted me to tell you that they wanted to speak to you…I do not know what it's about though."

"Oh ok." Rayna replied, alarm crossing her face.

"I don't think it was anythin' bad…I think they just wanted to check in."

"Thanks." She nodded, taking the cell phone off him as she walked into the dressing room. Unthinkingly, she dialled a number. Rayna's stomach sank when there was no immediate answer. Worry filled her every part as worst case scenarios began to play through her mind. The phone rang six times.

"Mom?" someone answered, their voice sleepy and rough.

"Sweetheart.." Rayna relaxed, recognising Maddie's voice immediately. "It's me-"

"-Mom!" Maddie repeated, a sudden excitement in her voice this time.

"Maddie, what's goin' on? Is everythin' ok? I just came off the stage and Uncle Bucky told me that y'all had left a message-"

"-Everything's fine, Mom. Seriously relax." Maddie sighed, her words quick and breathing heavy as she ran.

"You left me a message sayin' you wanted to…hang on, what on earth are you doin'?" Rayna scrunched up her face, straining to hear what was going on.

"Daphne…Daph." Maddie whispered, shaking her sister. "Wake up…Daph, Mom's on the-"

"-Honey, don't wake your siste-" Rayna sighed, scratching her head as she stole a look at herself in the mirror.

"-Mommy?" Daphne called drowsily. "What's going on? Maddie? Why are sitting on me?"

"It's Mom. She's on the phone." Maddie explained.

Rayna smiled, listening to her youngest daughter grumble and carry on.

"No, I'm talkin' first." Maddie shushed.

"I want the phone." Daphne whinged. "You got it first last time."

"I'm the oldest-"

"-Hey _hey_!" Rayna called, hoping to be heard. "Maddie, put me on speaker phone so I can speak to the both of you, ok?"

"Fine." Maddie sighed, pressing a few buttons. "Ok, you're on speaker, Mom."

"Babies hi, I miss you so so much!" Rayna exclaimed.

"We miss you too."

"Are you havin' fun?" Daphne asked.

"Sure am! I just finished my part of the show so I'm hangin' in my dressin' room until it's time for the encore."

"So Juliette's singing now…." Daphne stated.

"Mmhmm."

"I bet she's happy to have Deacon back as her band leader…" Maddie added, immediately regretting the fact that she had brought Deacon into the conversation. Why had she done that?

"What?" Rayna frowned. She hadn't told Maddie about Deacon re-joining the tour.

Deacon had unwittingly become an off limits topic of conversation over the last few weeks. Maddie hadn't been particularly keen on wanting to talk about him; she would get all fidgety and awkward at the mention of his name. If Rayna was honest, she hadn't been particularly keen on it either. It wasn't that Rayna didn't want to talk about him; she just didn't know where to start when it came to talking about Deacon with her daughters, especially Maddie. The hurt and frustration that came with the present state of her relationship with Deacon didn't really make for good dinner table conversation. If anything, it gave her every reason not to talk about him at all.

"Nothing..." Maddie lied.

"Where did you hear about that?" Rayna pushed, suddenly curious that the conversation had turned to Deacon.

"It was all over Twitter." Maddie hesitated. "Juliette posted some photo of her and Deacon this afternoon."

"I see." Rayna nodded.

"I can send it to you if you wa-"

"-How _is _Deacon?" Daphne chirped, oblivious to the awkward tension between Maddie and Rayna. Upon an unspoken agreement, everyone had decided it was best that Daphne didn't know the truth about Maddie's paternity until they could find the right way to tell her. "It's been like forever since we've seen him? Right Maddie?"

"I think he's good honey." Rayna replied.

"You _think_?" Daphne scrunched up her face as she gave Maddie a worried look. "But I thought he was your boyfriend? Doesn't that mean that you should know how he is?"

"Daph, maybe don't ask things like that." Maddie mumbled.

"What? Why not?"

"Just because, it's rude…"

"But." Daphne struggled, clearly confused. "Deacon's her boyfriend and I'm her daughter...I'm allowed to ask things like that, right?"

"Girls…" Rayna sighed, hating the turn in conversation.

"Daphne, shut up." Maddie hissed.

"You, shut up."

"You're so immature."

"Hey!" Rayna silenced the pair.

"He's still you're boyfriend, right?" Daphne whispered.

Maddie glared at Daphne and pushed her off balance. "Quit asking her that."

"Owww." Daphne whinged. "Mom, are you still there?"

Rayna fought with her words, unsure of whether to trust her tongue. She had no idea what she and Deacon were; she had no idea if they were together or not. She had no idea at all. She blew heavily, shaking her head as she settled on answer the question without answering it. "You know what? I'll tell him that y'all called."

"Good. Tell him that we say hi too…and that he needs to come over for dinner again…and that-" Daphne grinned.

"-Or not." Maddie shrugged. "You don't have to say anything from us."

"What's wrong with you?" Daphne frowned. "I thought you liked Deacon."

"I do."

"You're so weird. You make no sense."

"Hey, ok enough about that." Rayna interjected, deciding that they'd stayed on this topic long enough. "Y'all should be sleepin' now, so…"

"We were sleeping…but you woke us up." Daphne said cheekily.

"Oh, you're so funny…" Rayna replied sarcastically, smiling as both girls giggled on the other end of the phone. "Listen girls, I've really gotta go…I just wanted to check in with you because y'all left me a message."

"We just wanted to say hi, that's all." Maddie replied.

"Well, I wanted to say hi, too." Rayna grinned. "And honey, good luck with your soccer game."

"That was today, Mom." Daphne piped up. "…and she sucked."

"Excuse me?" Maddie scoffed.

"Be very careful Daphne Conrad…." Rayna warned, her voice steady and low. "You're skatin' on thin ice…"

"I like skating." Daphne giggled.

Rayna shook her head, a big smile plastered across her face. "Look girls, I've gotta go. I love you."

"We love you, Mom." Daphne called.

"Yeah, love you, Mom."

"I love you both the most!" Rayna exclaimed. "Ok, bye now. Bye."

Rayna hung up the cell phone and sighed heavily. She went to sit down, hoping to steal a moment alone, but the traces of a familiar guitar riff echoing down the passageway backstage stopped her. She frowned, shaking her head as she ventured out of the dressing room, straining to hear the music.

"What the hell?" Rayna murmured, her pace quickening as she came around the corner to stand side of stage. She caught sight of Liam and stopped short, nearly tripping over her feet when she finally saw Juliette and Deacon standing side by side, centre stage.

Juliette grinned, waving at the arena as she danced to the rhythm of song. She held the microphone to her mouth and sang. "Baby, you come knockin' on my front door. Same old line you used to use before. I said ya…well…what am I supposed to do? I didn't know what I was gettin' into."

Open-mouthed, Rayna crossed her arms tightly across her chest as anger began to bubble inside. "She did not just decide to cover one of my songs on a co-headlin' tour…"

"I think she just did." Liam clenched his teeth, smiling awkwardly at Rayna.

"Stop draggin' my, stop draggin' my, stop draggin' my heart around…" Deacon and Juliette sang together. Juliette strutted over to Deacon; smile wide as she shuffled closer to him while he played a bridging riff, a riff that he knew Rayna loved.

"That's disgustin'…" Rayna screwed up her face, shaking her head ferociously. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Mmmm…that's not the way I would've put it, but ok." Liam cocked his head, pulling a face as he watched the performance.

"What the hell is she doin'?" Rayna shrieked, waving her hands around. "On second thought, what the hell is he doin' runnin' up and down that stage with Miss Sparkly Pants?"

"Haven't heard you call her that for a long time..."

"Seriously. What is he doin'?"

"Playing a song, performing, putting on a show…I dunno." Liam guessed, trying to read her expression as she glared at the stage.

"I'll tell you what it is." She scoffed, talking with her hands as she looked at Deacon. "It's wrong, its ridiculous. It's just…it's downright rude is what it is."

"I know you really want to tell me goodbye. I know you really want to be your own girl." Deacon sang, his fingers moving furiously across the strings of his guitar.

The arena erupted with applause, the squealing and wolf whistles tumbling backstage, hitting Liam and Rayna in the face. Rayna groaned, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms again. Liam laughed, rubbing his forehead as he looked up at the stage.

Rayna frowned. "What?"

"Nothing…"

"Don't do that." Rayna shook her head. "You look like you've got somethin' to say…might as well say it, Liam."

"I just find it funny that you're gettin' worked up over a song like this. I mean, if it'd been suggested a few days ago at sound check you would've shot everyone down for even mentioning it." Liam smirked. "That's all."

"That is completely different."

"Is it? Because I recall you pulling nearly every song from your set that had a direct link to that lead guitarist up there on the stage."

"Come off it…" Rayna scoffed. "This has nothin' to do with Deacon."

"You keep telling yourself that." Liam grinned, patting Rayna on the shoulder.

"Shush it."

"_Y'all_ need to calm down…Hell, y'all sort it out is what you need to do." Liam teased, purposely mimicking her accent to irritate her. He smiled when she swore.

"I can't listen to this rubbish anymore."

Liam laughed, pointing at Deacon and Juliette. "Well, I hate to break it to you…but you kind of wrote this rubbish."

"We've got, what?" Rayna replied, looking at her cell phone. "20 or so minutes before the encore…I need a drink."

"You and me both." Liam smiled wickedly. "You and me both."

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Thank y'all so much…" Rayna smiled, waving her hands around as she thanked a number of people. She'd tried to remember names when Bucky had made the introductions a good 5 minutes ago, but she'd given up. The last thing she wanted to be doing was celebrating the success of the show. "You're so sweet."

The room was full of laughter, champagne glasses clinking, and chatter; it was full of everything she wanted to avoid. Rayna was still angry; she'd been brooding since she'd heard the opening riff of Juliette and Deacon's performance. What frustrated her most was that she had this nagging feeling that Deacon had encouraged that particular song choice, knowing full well that it would drive her every kind of crazy. She didn't feel like pretending for the cameras, she really didn't want to be smiling and making small talk. Right now, she wanted to find Deacon and give him a piece of her mind. This was ridiculous. She needed to find him, and she needed to find him now.

Rayna's eyes darted up, slowly scanning the room for any sign of Deacon. She spotted him talking with Juliette and Bucky. Rayna turned her attention to the ladies standing around her, giving them her warmest smile. "It's been so great to meet y'all…but I've got somethin' I need to do…so if you'll excuse me."

Rayna waved, sidestepping people as she said her goodbyes. She caught sight of Deacon, Juliette and Bucky and walked quickly, her pace quickening as she stormed towards them. Rayna practically ran into Deacon, pushing her weight against him as she tried to walk him out the door. "You and me. We need to talk. Now."

"Rayna," Deacon replied, standing his ground as he refused to move. He was undoubtedly irritated that she'd interrupted his conversation. Bucky and Juliette watched awkwardly, unsure of whether to stay or go. "I'm talkin' with-"

"-Why don't you try talkin' to me? You know, we haven't done that in a while." Rayna spoke bitterly, smiling grimly at Bucky and Juliette before she looked at him. "I'm sure they're not gonna mind."

Deacon shook his head angrily, completely lost for words as Rayna simply glared at him. After a few moments he looked towards the door and Rayna took the lead, raging ahead as he followed after her.

"Well…" Bucky spoke curtly, rocking back and forth on his feet.

"If that wasn't awkward I dunno what is." Juliette raised her eyebrows.

**- NASHVILLE -**

Rayna stormed down passageways, impulsively taking turns when it looked like they would run into people. Deacon followed behind, carefully choosing not to tell her to slow down. Finally, she came to a stop in an alcove near the exit doors that led to the waiting tour buses. She looked around carelessly, making sure that they were out of earshot before she turned around to face Deacon.

"What the hell is your problem?" Rayna exclaimed, arms floundering as she glared at Deacon. The harsh delivery of her own words took her by surprise, but she hid it well, keeping a straight face as she looked at him.

"My problem?" Deacon frowned, looking at her incredulously. "How about we talk about what _your_ problem is."

"Why would you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Don't. You know what I'm talkin' about…." Rayna warned, pointing loosely in the direction of the stage. "Singin' that song tonight, singin' it with Juliette…It was your idea wasn't it? Did you do it to hurt me? Is that it? How many times do I have to apologise before-"

"-It's just a song Rayna!" Deacon boomed, unable to stand still.

"-No it's not, it's not, it's not!" Rayna shouted angrily, stomping her foot. "It's not just a song…You knew that and you chose to sing it with her anyway."

"I didn't know there was a ban on songs we co-wrote together…I'm sorry." Deacon said sarcastically.

"There's not, it's just that-"

"-Oh, what?" Deacon scoffed, scratching his head fiercely as he cut her off. "So you singin' Postcard From Mexico with Liam is clearly different then?"

"Yeah, it is." Rayna lied, backpedalling very quickly.

Deacon laughed, looking at the ceiling. "Do you hear yourself right now? You are so-"

"-Do not mock me." Rayna breathed.

"What'd you want from me right now?" Deacon cried, throwing a hand in the air.

Rayna's mouth dropped, rage flaring across her face. She mumbled. "What do I want?"

Deacon looked at her blankly.

"I needed you!" She yelled, catching Deacon off guard with the hurt and bile in her tone. "I needed you and you just up and left."

"You lied to me!" He shouted unthinkingly. "You lied."

Rayna's face paled.

"You lied to me every day for the last thirteen years...tell me that there isn't somethin' wrong with that?"

"You honestly still think that I kept Maddie's paternity from you to hurt you? Seriously?"

"I dunno, Rayna. I-"

"-What the hell do I have to do to get through to you?!" Rayna exclaimed. "Clearly, voice and text messages don't do it...Nothin' works...not apologisin', not anythin'...So don't you dare think for a second that I haven't tried to right this with you...You won't listen to me, you won't talk to me."

Deacon clenched his jaw, watching her closely. He knew she was trying really hard not to cry; her face said it all.

Rayna shoved her hands in her pockets, crossing her legs together as she swayed. Her voice was shaky. "I know that this has all been so hard on you. I get that you're hurtin' and I'm not denyin' that..But this has been hard on me too. Do you even see that?"

"Rayna, that's not fair."

"Nothin' about any of this is _fair_, Deacon." Rayna shot, crossing her arms as she took a few steps backwards. "I have no idea what we're supposed to do-"

Impulsively, Deacon hurried towards her. He drove her back against a wall as she floundered; she was still angry and intent on getting her point across. He didn't pay any attention to her mumbling. His lips crashed into hers and Rayna tensed before hastily responding to him when she realised what was happening. He kissed her again, this time strong and hard as her fingers found his hair. She sighed involuntarily; her lips parting as his hands travelled up and down her body. Hungrily, they reached for each other and their bodies began to burn with an overwhelming desire; one that neither of their imaginings had been able to satisfy in recent days gone by. Rayna reached for his shirt, needing to be closer. She frowned. Her hands hung in the empty air as she felt Deacon pull away abruptly. He looked conflicted; his eyes were fixed with love, lust, hurt, anger, and confusion, even irritation. Rayna swallowed hard, thankful that the wall was acting as a support while they stood in silence, both breathing heavily. She stared at him, her eyes searching his while confusion started getting the better of her. Deacon looked at her fleetingly, unable to make a sound. Before either could speak, he turned quickly and headed for the exit door.


	35. Chapter 35

**NB: Thank you so much readers and reviewers...you always amaze me with your kindness. I truly appreciate each and every single one of you. This chapter was challenging and quite interesting to write...it's also quite long...This chapter came to be after I pulled parts from 2 different chapters at the last minute because I thought it fit better for what is to come...The song in this chapter is "I Had Me A Girl - The Civil Wars - All copyright to the artists I own nothing"...PLEASE keep your LOVES/HATES/HOPES/THOUGHTS/FAVORITE LINES OR MOMENTS/FOLLOWS/FAVORITES/COMMENTS/PMS and WHATEVER ELSE coming...I hope you enjoy chapter thirty five...**

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**CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE**

Rayna dragged her feet as she entered the arena through a side door with Bucky. Her head was crowded, each thought causing more confusion than the last as she thought back to last night. She hadn't expected it. She'd been too caught up in her own anger and frustration to notice Deacon walking towards her. He had to pin her against a wall before she realised what was going on. Last night Deacon had kissed her. He had kissed her long and hard. Thinking about it, thinking about him, her body felt like it was on fire; she'd missed him, missed his touch. The fact that he had kissed her wasn't what had her reeling. It was the aching and bewilderment that came when he suddenly walked away. She'd been too shell-shocked to follow him. Instead, she'd busied herself till it'd been time to board the tour bus. Rayna knew it had been pathetic, but she'd lay wide-awake, quietly willing the phone to ring. She wasn't surprised when she got no reply; the last thing Deacon had been lately was a good communicator. Her mind had been cruel, forcing her to go over every detail of what had happened over and over. By the time the sun had risen, she was pretty sure she'd worked herself into an even more confused and agitated state.

Walking down the back passageways with Bucky, she was apprehensive. She had no idea what to expect when she saw Deacon; no idea what he'd do, no idea what she'd do. Rayna exhaled forcefully. This was very dangerous.

"Rayna?! Hi!" Scarlett chirped, sliding off one of the roadie cases pushed up against a wall next to a practise piano.

"Oh, hey sweetheart!" Rayna smiled, forcing herself to focus on her surroundings. She looked behind Scarlett and waved at Gunnar and a few guys from her band. "How y'all doin'?"

They mumbled a string of replies.

"I'm gonna go track down Glenn…there are a few details about the show that I wanna discuss with him." Bucky spoke up, patting her on the arm before he walked away.

"Tonight's a big night for you! You excited about bein' an opening act?" Rayna grinned.

"Um…" Scarlett started nervously, twirling her hair as she spoke. "I was actually just about to come lookin' for you to talk with you about somethin'…"

"Ok, shoot."

"I really don't wanna bother you, and if y'all don't wanna do it then it's fine…But a few weeks back…you know, before the accident you said-" Scarlett stammered, speaking quickly as she played with her hands.

"-Sweetheart, just spit it out…what is it?" Rayna stopped Scarlett, looking at her curiously as she waited for an answer.

"Umm…well." Scarlett hesitated. "You know that song we wrote, us four on the tour bus…the one y'all said we might all sing together if we were ever your openin' act?"

"Mmhmm, vaguely."

"Ok. I guess what I'm askin', what we're askin'…is if that's gonna happen?" Scarlett asked, immediately feeling guilty for asking Rayna a question like that.

"Well…" Rayna drawled, biting her tongue to force herself to think.

"It's ok." Scarlett smiled, waving her hands. "Don't worry about it, forget that we asked. It was just somethin' Gunnar and I were talkin' about last night-"

"-Hey, man!" Gunnar greeted, interrupting Scarlett and Rayna's conversation.

"Hey." Deacon nodded, tucking his backstage pass into his back pocket. Deacon said brief hellos to everyone standing around Gunnar. He looked up, his eyes falling on Rayna and Scarlett.

Rayna raised an eyebrow, smiling faintly as she spoke. "You know what, hon? If your Uncle Deacon is up for it, I think we can make it happen."

"Really?" Scarlett cocked her head, turning around to look at Deacon. She didn't know if Rayna was serious or not.

"Mmhmm." Rayna agreed, certain that Deacon would say no. He would be their way out of performing together tonight.

"Hey, Uncle Deacon…Do you fancy singin' with us tonight?"

"What'd you mean?" Deacon asked.

"She's talkin' about that song…the one we wrote way back when we were in Atlanta?..." Gunnar explained. "She's pretty set on wantin' to sing it with y'all because you made conversation about it possibly happenin', I dunno…"

"I see." Deacon nodded, recalling the conversation. He chuckled when he noticed Scarlett holding her breath. He looked at Gunnar again and frowned. "I Had Me A Girl, wasn't it?"

"That's the one." Gunnar smiled, unthinkingly striking the starting chord from the intro on his Gibson.

"Benny, would you hand me that?" Deacon mumbled, hand stretched out as he waited for the guy to hand him a guitar. Quickly, Deacon came in behind Gunnar, easily settling into the dark and gutsy swing of the song. He looked up, catching the attention of those idly watching. "No time like the present to get a practice in I suppose…If y'all are up for it?"

Surprised, Rayna scratched her head as Scarlett let out a squeal of excitement, clapping her hands wildly as she scampered over to them. Rayna swore under her breath, reluctantly joining the trio as she tried to gauge what was going on with Deacon. Did he not remember what happened last night? She couldn't figure it out. Was she supposed to be angry? Was she supposed to ignore the kiss? What was going on inside that head of his? She gulped down the questions, putting on her most convincing smile as she pushed her own thoughts to the back of her mind.

"One. Two. Three." Deacon counted, stomping his foot in time with the tune as he sang. "I had me a girl who taught me those things a young man should know."

"Down, down on my knees I'd beg and I'd plead to learn a little bit more." Gunnar sang, strumming away as he grinned at Scarlett. "Oh, that woman taught me to pray…I saw heaven every day."

"Lord, she could." Deacon led, nodding to the other three who joined him, each taking different harmonies to sing the powerful refrain. "Oooooh…oh oh."

A crowd had gathered around them, equally delighted and captivated by the sound coming from Rayna, Gunnar, Deacon and Scarlett. The four singers tried to ignore the onlookers, all focused on following each other through the song. It had an angry flare to it and it gave them good reason to project all their emotion into what they sang.

"Oh I, I had me a boy who buttoned me down and drew me a line. Oh, he washes me clean as a sinner can be…showed me the light." Scarlett sang, rocking back and forth in time with the music as she sang.

Rayna cleared her throat and took a deep breath before following Scarlett, her tone heated and her volume strong. "Oh that boy, he taught me to pray but for all of his spit-shinin' ways…"

"And we go." Gunnar spoke quickly, cueing everyone in. "Ooooh…oh oh."

"Oh, I had me a girl…" Deacon sang freely, fingers moving quickly across the strings.

Scarlett stopped swaying, confusion on her face as they all looked at Deacon.

"We don't come in on that final verse till we run the chorus twice." Rayna piped up, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her face.

Scarlett nodded, awkwardly fiddling with her fingers as she suddenly noticed the large group of people their practice had attracted around them.

"When did we decide that?" Deacon asked blankly, coming to a stop as he stared at her.

"I dunno, when we were writin' I guess…I thought you'd remember that."

"I don't remember us ever talkin' about doin' that."

"It seems like there are a few things you don't remember then." Rayna mumbled, tugging at the sleeves of her sweater as she looked at her boots.

"What'd you say?" Deacon raised an eyebrow.

"Nothin'…" Rayna shrugged, crossing her arms as she sighed. "because clearly it was nothin'…"

Tension filled the corridor as people tried to decide what it was they were supposed to do. Were they supposed to keep watching? Were they supposed to walk away? Gunnar gave Scarlett a knowing look and she shook her head, willing him to stay out of it.

"Ray, if you've got somethin' to say." Deacon scratched his head. "…just say it."

Rayna bit her tongue, ignoring the urge to yell at him. She inhaled slowly, releasing the breath heavily. "I can't even be bothered to do this-"

"-Then don't-" Deacon spoke without thinking, the venom in his voice palpable.

Rayna went to speak but was interrupted by someone else.

"-Enough." Bucky called, startling both Deacon and Rayna. The pair came to an abrupt silence and a hush fell over the sea of people that circled them. Bucky approached quickly with Juliette.

Deacon swore, cursing himself for opening his mouth.

"What?!" Juliette questioned, glaring at people. "There's nothin' to see here people…get back to work!"

Quickly, people scattered, leaving Juliette and Bucky standing cross-armed as they stared down Rayna and Deacon. Rayna flushed red, completely mortified. What on earth was she doing? What were they doing?

"What the hell is goin' on here?" Bucky finally spoke up.

"Nothin'." Deacon and Rayna replied in unison.

"This is hardly nothin'…You two are actin' like a pair of hot-headed teenagers." Bucky shook his head.

Deacon swore, carelessly putting the guitar down on top of a roadie case as he glared at Bucky. "I'm not doin' this…Not with any of you…"

Furiously, Rayna ran a hand through her hair and gave Bucky a 'look-what-you've-done' look as Deacon stormed off. Bucky rolled his eyes.

Juliette frowned and quickly followed after him. "Deacon Claybourne, you get back here!"

**- NASHVILLE -**

Closing Deacon's hotel room door, Juliette leant against it. She studied Deacon closely as he lay motionless on the bed.

"You can curse at me, kick and scream…" Juliette broke the silence. "But I ain't leavin' until you tell me what's _really_ goin' on…"

"Drop it." He mumbled.

"I know that this is more than some anger you've been holdin' against Rayna…it has to be, otherwise you wouldn't have come back in the first place." Juliette tried. "You came back for Rayna, I know you did."

"Listen Juliette, you need to stop tryin' to figure everythin' out…you wouldn't know the first thing-" Deacon blew, eyes focused on the ceiling.

"-No, you listen. I get that you're hurtin'…I get that you needed space, no ones sayin' otherwise…I get that you're angry and you feel like you hate her, but that doesn't mean you get to act like a total ass." Juliette fumed.

"You think I hate her?" Deacon whispered, choking on his own words. "It'd be a hell of a lot easier if I did, let me tell you now."

Deacon sat up, his face holding deep confliction as thoughts of Rayna invaded his mind. _I love you. That's just never not been true. _His head echoed with Teddy's voice. _You aren't capable of being a Father. You haven't changed. _Deacon felt his chest tighten, his breaths coming shorter. _Destruction follows you wherever you go. Maddie deserves better. Rayna deserves a thousand times better than you._

Deacon cracked. Tears fell, drowning the veneer of confidence he'd clung to over the weeks since Rayna had told him he was Maddie's Father. He'd tried to forget the feelings that had come with those moments of truth, but no amount of driving or running could stop him from experiencing what he was experiencing now. He hid his face in his hands, overwhelmed by the things unexpressed as he cried out. He mumbled inaudibly between chokes and splutters, quietly rocking back and forth.

Juliette gulped, eyes wide as she hesitantly made her way towards the bed. She reached out her hand, quickly drawing back when Deacon cried out again. She'd never seen him like this. Never. Her heart went out to him, every kind of love and concern written on her face as she dropped to her knees in front of him. They sat like this for a good half hour.

"You think….you think I hate her?" Deacon whimpered.

Juliette shook her head, unsure of what he wanted to hear. She regretted her poor choice of words.

"I don't…I…no matter how I try and figure it…I can't figure out why she'd never tell me…Why couldn't she be honest about this?…"

"Deacon…"

"Then I think maybe it's me, I'm wrong to even think like that after all I put her through….Juliette, I'd never, I was never…I would've been a terrible Father." Deacon managed, burying his head in his hands. "She was right not to want me…I failed her, I destroyed Rayna, I destroyed us."

"Deacon."

Deacon breathed, his eyes raw as he looked at Juliette. "Maddie deserves better-"

"-Stop it." Juliette snapped, reaching out a hand. "That's not true and you thinkin' like that is ridiculous."

"It is true."

"No, it's not."

Deacon shook his head, clenching his jaw as stared at Juliette. "I'm not what she needs, Juliette. I'm not a Father, I'm just-"

"-Hold on. Did Rayna actually say any of this?" Juliette frowned. She knew that Deacon and Rayna had a dark history, but she doubted that Rayna would flat out say something like that now. She couldn't begin to imagine the wreckage and ruin that they were tangled in, but she knew that you couldn't just hit a kill switch on the feelings they felt for each other.

"She didn't have to, her actions have kinda spoken for her these last thirteen years…." Deacon muttered, running his hands over his face before waving his arms around. "It's what Teddy-"

"-Ok." Juliette rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "When has anythin' that guy had to say held any kind of truth?"

"He's not lyin' about this. You weren't exactly around back then, I broke every stick of furn-" Deacon interjected, his tears stopping as he looked ahead.

"-But I'm around now. Deacon, you're a good man. You care, you're strong…you put everyone else ahead of yourself. Deacon, you're not who you used to be."

Deacon shook his head, still looked straight ahead.

Juliette sighed, pushing hair out of her face as she spoke dryly. "Look, the truth is…Teddy's a bastard, we all know it…I mean, if you didn't have it in you to be a good Father, to be the right person for Rayna, do you think Teddy would've bothered to fill your head with things as crazy as this?"

Slowly, Deacon turned to look at Juliette, his expression softer and grateful for her concern. He shook his head again, almost trying to clear his thoughts. "I…"

"What'd you want, Deacon? Hmmm?" Juliette asked quietly, removing her hands from his. "You either wanna work it out, or you don't…You can't do this…Not to yourself, not to Rayna, not to anyone…at some point it's all gotta end."

"I don't wanna lose her, I don't wanna lose us…but how you get past somethin' like this...it's complicated…"

"Talk to her."

Deacon chuckled, making Juliette jump at the sound. "Since when did you get all smart and mature about everythin'?"

"Since someone showed me that it was ok to grow up and take responsibility for my own actions and choices…" Juliette shrugged, smiling up at him.

"Whoever gave you that advice needs to go jump off a cliff." Deacon joked, scratching his head as he let out a long-winded sigh.

"Yeah, well I'd rather he didn't jump off a cliff."

Deacon chuckled, resting his hands on his head. "I need a drink."

Juliette froze, mouth open and eyes cold.

Deacon looked down at her and did a double take. He swore. "Of coffee. I need a strong coffee."

Juliette relaxed. "You have no idea how close I was to puttin' my fist in your face."

"You're not the first to say that." He sighed, wiping his palms on his pants.

Juliette stood up and straightened her shirt. "You need to talk to her…"

Deacon nodded half-heartedly and walked into the bathroom to wash his face.

"Did you hear me?"

He shook the water off his hands, clumsily wiping his hands on his t-shirt. He turned around walked out again, ignoring Juliette's stare as he picked up his cell phone.

"Deacon?"

"I know, I heard you."

**- NASHVILLE -**

Rayna paced her hotel room, tangling her fingers in her sweater as she walked. She wandered past the microwave in the kitchen to steal a look at the clock. 1:32am. Dallas had been every kind of welcoming tonight, the show had left her exhausted. It had been like most nights on the road; screaming and applause, song after song, more screaming and applause, meet and greets, thankyous and goodbyes. Gunnar and Scarlett opened for the show alone. After their run in earlier that afternoon, Bucky had put his foot down and made it clear that Deacon and Rayna wouldn't join the young duo. Rayna didn't bother arguing, she had simply agreed.

She'd kept an eye out for Deacon, hoping to get him alone to talk, not yell, but talk. Apart from seeing him take his place next to Juliette on the stage at the start of her set, she hadn't seen him anywhere. He'd disappeared. Rayna had wandered past his hotel room an hour ago but she hadn't had the courage to knock on his door. Instead, she'd traipsed up to her room and settled for pacing back and forth, playing over conversations she wanted to have with Deacon in her head. So caught in her own thoughts, she jumped when she head three sturdy knocks on her front door. Suddenly her hands shook and trepidation shot through her body. She had to force herself to walk towards the door. Slowly, she opened it.

"Hi." She whispered, her barely breathing when she saw Deacon.

"I know it's late, but I was wonderin' if you and I, if we could talk?" Deacon managed, trying to sound neutral as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

Rayna nodded, awkwardly stepping to the side to let him in. He walked past her and quietly looked around the empty lounge area. The television was on, the volume low. He assumed that she'd put it on purely for the background noise it offered. It was on the animal channel. Rayna hated the animal channel.

"Can I make you a coffee or somethin'?" Rayna asked apprehensively, picking up the remote to turn the television off.

"Hmm?" Deacon's eyes shot up and he shook his head. "Um…no, I'm good I think, unless you want one…?"  
"No, I don't…" Rayna replied quickly, silently berating herself for sounding too eager. "…not if you don't want one."

Deacon nodded, his eyes wandering in the direction of the glass doors that led out onto a balcony. The air was cool in the lounge area; he could feel that the A/C was turned up high, but he was still sweating. Impulsively, he walked towards the glass doors and opened them. Deacon smiled when he felt the cold night air, it seemed to take the edge off whatever it was that he was feeling. He stepped out into the darkness, his eyes taking in the bright cityscape. Rayna's eyes were set on him; studying and watching what he was doing. He heard her footsteps; fixed but cautious. Slowly, she closed the glass door and came to stand beside him. Rayna didn't stand close. She left a lengthy distance between them as she pulled the sleeves of her sweater over her fingers to keep warm. The silent tension made them both uneasy. After a series of back and forth glances, awkward smiles and failed attempts to speak, they both couldn't take it.

"Deacon, I-"

"I don-"

"Sorry…" Rayna whispered, leaning on the railing as she looked at him. "You go…"

Deacon cleared his throat and scratched his neck as he met her gaze. "Can we skip all the awkward as hell conversation that's supposed to come before we talk about what we actually wanna talk about?"

Rayna smiled faintly and nodded. She was trying her best to hide her nervousness, but she was sure he could see right through her.

Deacon nodded curtly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he blew with all his might. "If you and I are ever gonna get past any of this…you've gotta explain it to me…"

Rayna swallowed hard, her eyes full of worry and confusion. She already knew what he meant but she asked anyway. "Explain it?"

Deacon continued, meeting her gaze directly. "I need to know why it's taken thirteen years for you to tell me that you and I have a daughter."

"Deacon, I've told you the-" Rayna whispered.

"-I know the position I put you in, put us in when you got pregnant…I don't blame you for puttin' Maddie first…I know what I was like. I wasn't stable…Ray, I was a belligerent drunk." Deacon interjected, his tone steady and strong.

Rayna tugged at her sweater, unsure of whether to stay quiet or to speak.

"…But it changed. I changed. I got sober and it stuck…For thirteen years I've been sober...and not once…not once did you put enough faith in me to tell me that the child you were raisin' with Teddy was actually mine." Deacon faltered, quickly recovering as he clutched the railing tightly.

Rayna frowned, taken aback.

"I mean, did you not think that I could be a good Father? Or is it because you were protectin' your marriage-?" Deacon started, immediately regretting his choice of words.

"-That's not…really?" Rayna stuttered, disbelief across her face.

Deacon sighed, his tone strained and desperate as he spoke. "I've tried figurin' it out, I have…but I can't. So I guess that's why I'm here, to figure this out…Ray, I need you to explain it to me."

"Now?"

"Now…."

Rayna hugged herself, hoping to find comfort somehow as she spoke. "You're right…I didn't tell you the truth when I was pregnant because I wanted what was best for Maddie. At the time, the last thing we had was what was best for a child …What we had, it was destructive, it was volatile."

"I know it was."

"But you did get sober…you did…and I'm so proud of you for that…everyday I am so thankful for that, you hear me?" Rayna struggled, clumsily tapping the railing as she spoke.

"Doesn't explain why you weren't honest with me."

Rayna nodded, acknowledging that he was right. "So many times I thought about tellin' you the truth…so many times I'd be with you and so desperately want everythin' to be different…"

Deacon looked at her blankly.

"I chose not to tell you to protect Maddie, but I also chose not to tell you because…I was scared…." Rayna gulped, her hands shaking as she squeezed them tightly together. A cry escaped her lips. "I know you probably don't believe me, but I was….I was scared of what you'd do after all these years, what you'd think of me, how you'd look at me if you knew that I lied to you…Deacon, I was scared."

Deacon loosened his grip on the railing, his gaze intently on her as she dissolved into tears five feet away from him. He swallowed hard. Deacon could tell by the way that she was speaking that she was being honest and that the fear she said she felt was genuine.

"I was wrong…I was wrong not to tell you, I know that…I just…I couldn't." Rayna nodded, wiping her running nose on her sleeve. "I wish I did, every day I do…but I didn't."

Deacon nodded slowly.

"I never meant to hurt you like I have. It was the last thing I ever wanted to do. I've taken you, taken us for granted and I don't expect you to forgive me for any of it…" Rayna looked out into the darkness, her vision blurred as she tried to make out the bright city lights. Her voice was full of vulnerability as she wavered. "But if there's anythin' I need you to know…I need you to know that I'm sorry, I really am…for everythin'."

Deacon sighed weightily, hesitating before he stepped towards her and pulled her into a strong embrace. He rested his chin on her head and she collapsed into him, tears falling heavily as he held her. "I know."

"I don't wanna lose you." Rayna wearily mumbled into his chest. "I don't wanna lose us."

"I don't either."

Rayna shuddered, sensing the pain in his voice as he spoke.

"I'm not goin' anywhere…you need to know that." Deacon replied quietly, loosening his hold on Rayna when she pulled away to look up at him. "I mean, I'm hurt that you weren't honest with me, I mean, it kills me Ray...but I do understand why you'd be scared...I do...I hate that you though you had to carry everythin' by yourself...I hate it..."

Rayna's watched him wordlessly.

"Ray, I was serious when I said that I wanted us to get past this…You're not the only one to blame in all of this…both of us have been wrong, both of us are to blame…."

Rayna nodded mechanically, focusing on his words as she forced herself to stop crying. "So we…"

"So…" Deacon echoed, resting his hands on her shoulders as he looked at her. She shivered and immediately tried to hide it. Deacon smiled tiredly. "…we give it time."

Rayna wanted to scream that they'd already give everything plenty of time; the pain and loneliness of the last month and being apart had been close to unbearable. She knew he felt the same. Rayna didn't want to think about the days to come and the idea of him still not lying by her side at night. As much as it destroyed her, he was right. They needed time. What that meant or how long for, Rayna wasn't entirely sure. Deacon didn't know what it meant either.

Instead of finding ways to argue or dwell on it in this quiet moment of reprieve, they both stood in a comfortable silence. Unthinkingly, Deacon pulled Rayna back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her waist as they both looked out at the nightscape together. He rested his chin on her head and she smiled, reacquainting herself with how it felt just to be close to him. She didn't know what would happen when the sun rose, she didn't know if he would find it in himself to forgive her, she didn't know if he even wanted her like he used to, she didn't know much at all. But the one thing she knew for sure was that right now they weren't alone, they were together. Their fingers were intertwined, and their hearts shared the same rhythm as a sense of determination hung heavy upon them. For now, that was enough.

"So…" Rayna smiled, shifting her position as they lazily swayed together. "about that…um…kiss last night…?"

Deacon chuckled. "Shush, please…let's just be quiet for a little bit longer, hey?"


	36. Chapter 36

**NB: My goodness, you're all so kind and wonderful. Thank you dear readers and reviewers for loving Brave Face, I so appreciate it. Without giving too much away, in this chapter there is something that I added in that is an Australian tradition (Yes, I am proudly Australian - Not quite sure if y'all think more or less of me because of that)...until today I thought it was something done universally..apparently not. ****This is actually the first of the last few chapters of this story (I feel like I should tell and/or pre-warn you)...so I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed writing it...PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/HOPES/FAVORITE MOMENTS AND LINES/COMMENTS/PMS/FAVORITES and WHATEVER ELSE coming...enjoy chapter thirty six...**

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY SIX**

**Sixteen Days Later…**

"Go…away…" Rayna groaned, pulling the sheets over her head as she rolled over.

Her cell phone had been busily humming on and off for a good five minutes now. She thought she'd been clever when she'd managed to reject the call with her eyes closed the first time. It only took seconds for the cell phone to start ringing again. Her head was pounding. She couldn't remember what time she'd fallen into bed. It had to have been really late, or really early depending on the way you looked at it. She'd been celebrating the completion of the new record with Liam. Admittedly, after listening to the whole record from start to finish last night she wanted to tweak and change one or two things, but it was finally done. The record was done and she loved it.

Silence. Rayna sighed, relaxing into the bed with a smile. The cell phone started again, buzzing fiercely. Rayna swore, ripping the sheet off her head as she fumbled for the phone. She squinted at the lit up screen and mumbled expletives before reluctantly putting it to her ear.

"Bucky, I swear…" Rayna started groggily, hand to her head as she tried to prop herself up. "there better be a good reason for wakin' me up right now."

"I woke you up?"

"Bucky." Rayna breathed, struggling to ignore the aching in her head. "Please…"

"Ray, are you ok? You're usually an early riser. I thought that today-" Bucky spoke slowly, his tone every bit curious.

"-The records done..." Rayna squeezed her eyes shut, rolling onto her stomach as she spoke. "Do not judge me…I may or may not have let Liam convince me it was a good idea to empty the mini bar last night to celebrate…" Bucky laughed and Rayna swore, holding the phone away from her ear. "Why the hell do you have to be so damn loud?!"

"Sorry…" Bucky chuckled, pausing for a moment. "I guess you not answerin' your phone today makes a lot of sense now…"

"What? Yeah, of course that's why I'm not answerin' my phone." Rayna groaned. "…because I was a complete idiot…and now I'm payin' for it in full. Bucky, I don't remember how much I drank, how I got into my bed…hell, I don't even know what day it is. I do know that I have a finished record-"

"You don't know what today is?" Bucky asked flatly.

Rayna's eyes shot open, immediately recognising the tone Bucky had taken. She sat up and her head spun. She grimaced, looking around the dark room. "I've missed somethin' haven't I? I swear today was supposed to be free…just the sound check at 1:30-"

"-Ray, it's 12." Bucky spoke reluctantly.

Rayna swore, ripping the blankets off her body. Her feet got tangled in the sheets and she grumbled as she tried to kick them free.

"Do you need me to come on up there?" Bucky offered.

"No, I'm fine." Rayna replied, already making her way out of the bedroom. She ran into the wall closest to the door and she slammed it with her hand in frustration. "I don't need you to come up here…I just need coffee and some Advil." She frowned and looked down at the oversized t-shirt she was wearing and smelt it. "…and a shower, I need a shower."

"Ok, well a car will be waitin' downstairs when you're ready." Bucky replied.

"A car. Mmhmm."

"Sound check at 1:30."

"Mmhmm."

"Don't be late."

Rayna laughed grimly. "Hmmhmm, you're funny."

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Buck, you honestly did not have to wait at the side door for me…" Rayna shook her head, adjusting the handbag on her shoulder as she stepped past him. She took her sunglasses off and squinted. "I'm more than capable of gettin' myself to my own sound check..."

Bucky looked at her skeptically. "You're late...and you look kind of-"

"-Oh, come on?! Really? First thing you wanna say to me is that? How about 'congratulations on a finished record Rayna, well done'?!"

"Congratulations on a finished record Rayna, well done." Bucky repeated.

"Stop…would you?!" Rayna laughed, following his lead when he ushered her around a corner. "In just a few seconds I have to walk up onto that stage and pretend that I'm ready and rarin' to go…And you lookin' at me like you're worried that I won't be able to pull it off _is not_ helpin'…"

"Oh Ray, I'm not worried…." He smiled, gesturing to the stairs that led to the stage. "I'd say I'm more amused than anythin'…"

"About what?!" Rayna cried, pulling a face as they climbed the stairs slowly.

"You'll see." Bucky muttered, grin wide as he shook his head.

Rayna swatted his arm playfully, clearly confused as to why Bucky wouldn't give her a straight answer. He remained tightlipped and Rayna gave up and turned her focus to stage. She frowned. The stage was empty; no musicians, no tech guys, no backing vocalists, no roadies, no Liam.

"No. Mmm Mmm…" Rayna shook her head quickly before looking back at Bucky. "Do not tell me that Liam is gettin' out of this rehearsal…If I have to suffer, he has to suffer."

"Rayna." Bucky chuckled, watching the angry woman spin in circles.

"I'm gonna go get him right now…pull him out of that stupid bed of his that he's probably still asleep in…I'll show-"

"-Surprise!" Liam and a whole bunch of the crew screamed, flooding onto the stage from every which direction.

Rayna froze, lost for words as everybody surrounded her. She looked over at Liam who was carefully carrying a birthday cake towards her and she swore, realization suddenly hitting her. Today was her birthday. Almost on cue, everyone began to sing happy birthday. Intentionally, everyone sang or screamed the birthday song off key. Rayna shook her head and shot a look at Bucky.

"Happy birthday Ray." Bucky mouthed after the disjointed birthday song came to an end.

Rayna laughed and crossed her arms. She was clearly uncomfortable with the festivities unfolding around her. He knew he'd have to answer for this little surprise later, but he couldn't help himself, especially after all she'd been through this last month and a half. She deserved to be celebrated; she deserved some fun and laughter. Rayna shot Bucky a filthy look. The last thing she'd wanted was everyone making a big deal about her birthday. But she had to admit that standing here surrounded by the band and crew, she wanted to smile.

"Yoo-hoo?! Earth to Rayna!?" Liam chimed, holding the cake in her face as he grinned. "You gonna blow these candles out or what?! Bucky said four candles..,but I was all for the whole-"

"-Ok, ok!" Rayna yelped, cutting Liam off. She pulled her hair out of her face, twisting it into a loose knot to the side of her head before she blew out all the candles with one blow.

"Not bad for a for-"

"-Hey!" Rayna slapped his arm, nearly sending Liam off balance.

Everyone laughed.

Liam grimaced and quickly chose his words. "_Fiery,_ red headed, sexy, good looking birthday lady..."

All equally impressed by his quick recovery, applause and wolf whistles fell through the crowd.

Rayna crossed her arms and spoke wryly. "Smooth…"

"Hey, Angie…! You wanna cut this cake up for us?" Liam asked, quickly freeing himself from cake cutting duty.

"Rayna should cut the first piece." Angie smiled, cake in one hand and a knife in the other. "It's tradition."

Rayna took the knife and Angie put the cake down on a roadie case.

"Careful Rayna…" Liam warned, smiling giddily as he watched her begin to cut the cake. "If you cut the cake all the way to the bottom you have to kiss the nearest person of the opposite sex…"

Rayna's eyes shot up, stopping the knife from moving downward any further. "What?! Since when?"

"Since it's tradition." Liam shrugged, smirking at Angie.

"You're lyin' What in the hell kind of tradition is that?!…"

"In _Australia_…it's tradition in Australia." He continued, jerking his thumb at Angie. "Got in a nice little chat with your back up girl Angie before…apparently it's what they do back home to celebrate…"

"Seriously?" Rayna made a face and Angie nodded guiltily. Everybody laughed, watching intently as they mumbled opinions on the said tradition.

"This is gold." Liam laughed, enjoying that Rayna was squirming. "Come on, get to it Rayna…plenty of men to choose from."

"You don't have to do it, he's messing with you…" Angie grinned. "It's more like a joke tradition back home…You give someone a quick peck on the cheek if you hit the bottom of the cake when you're cutting it. It's something you do for a laugh-"

"-Oh, Angie...She won't do it…She's too chicken." Liam goaded, crossing his arms.

"Am not." Rayna laughed uneasily.

"Are too."

Rayna hesitated, searching the sea of faces. As her eyes moved quickly she hoped to see Deacon standing in the back somewhere. He wasn't there. She struggled not to let her disappointment get the better of her. If she was supposed to kiss anyone, she wanted it to be Deacon. Ever so slowly, they'd spent the last sixteen days reacquainting and rebuilding what was between them. It hadn't exactly been easy, but there had been ease to how they both wanted to work at it together. She smiled thinking about it.

There had been a number of occasions where he had left her post-it notes on her dressing room mirror. Half the time no one understood what the messages meant because he was careful to write things only she would understand. She'd quickly caught on and found herself leaving him equally cryptic post-it notes in his guitar case. He never quite knew how she managed to sneak the notes in, but he found himself smiling every time he'd open his guitar case.

Then there were the times they'd take turns showing up discreetly with two takeaway coffees and a look that said 'Let's go for a walk'. She couldn't place the number of hours they'd lost to talking, but she was grateful for every one. They'd laughed, cried, swore, reminisced, got angry, listened, discovered things they had never known about each other, and quietly recognized that the love they felt for each other was still there.

Neither had pushed any kind of boundary these last sixteen days. He hadn't tried kissing her yet, and she hadn't tried it either. Rayna thought about it. He had held her hand seven times. Actually, he might've kissed her on the forehead a couple of nights ago when he'd pulled her into a heartfelt embrace, she couldn't remember. She'd appreciated the physical distance and loathed it all in the same breath. They'd needed time, she understood that, but there were moments when she'd wanted anything but space. She smiled. It wasn't all bad; the distance showed her that with every moment she waited, she knew she wanted him more.

"Told you!" Liam smirked, hands in the air as he looked around at everyone. "She's not gonna do it!"

Rayna fixed her attention on everyone again, pulled from her reveries as she looked down at the knife lodged halfway in the birthday cake. Impulsively, she grinned and intentionally cut to the bottom of the cake. Squeals and whistling echoed around her as everyone clapped.

"If you wanted to kiss me…" Liam raised an eyebrow. "All you had to do was ask…"

Rayna made a face and shook her head. "Who says I'm gonna kiss you?"

"Tradition."

Rayna smirked and turned on her heel. Quickly, she made her way past people and walked towards Bucky. Bucky's eyes widened and he didn't get a word out before Rayna gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Everyone cheered.

"You cheat!" Liam crossed his arms, ignoring all the jeering from a few of the guys standing next to him.

Rayna curtsied, smile plastered across her face. "I learnt from the best."

**- NASHVILLE -**

2:00pm. Deacon looked at the clock again and frowned as he absentmindedly let his fingers run across the strings of his guitar. He'd stared at his cell phone all morning trying to come up with a reason to see Rayna. He knew he didn't need a reason to see her, but he was still trying to find one. He was all jittery and unsettled. Today wasn't just any tour day, it was her birthday. He'd screwed up so many of her birthdays over the years he'd lost count. She'd spent many of her birthday nights by a hospital bed with him, waiting and hoping he'd be ok. He cringed as he thought about the time he spewed all over her brand new dress moments before she was supposed to get up and sing at a party Edgehill had put on for her about 16 years ago. That had been a horrible night. Understandably, she hadn't talked to him for a good two weeks after that. Deacon exhaled heavily. He didn't want to mess today up for her, he didn't want to ruin everything. They were finally starting to make their way through the wreckage together, finally starting to make it work again.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Deacon's eyes shot in the direction of the closed hotel room door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

He frowned and put the guitar down beside him on the lounge before slowly walking towards the door. He opened it. Dazed, he struggled to find words to speak as he looked out into the hallway in search of someone else, momentarily ignoring the person who stood in front of him.

"Hi." Maddie stumbled, awkwardly standing her guitar case next to her.

"Hi." Deacon mimicked, still looking up and down the hall. "What are you doin' he-?"

"-Mom's birthday. Aunt Tandy and Daphne and I…we flew out to surprise her…she doesn't know we're here."

Deacon looked at her blankly, still confused as to what Maddie was doing standing on the doorstep of his hotel room in Houston when she was supposed to be back in Nashville.

"I promise that they're downstairs, they're with Uncle Bucky…I haven't done something crazy, like running away from home or whatever." Maddie tried, hoping that Deacon would believe her.

"They're downstairs?" Deacon repeated.

"Yeah…" Maddie nodded, clumsily fidgeting with one of the latches on the top of her guitar case.

They both stood quietly, unsure of what to say next. They hadn't spoken since that night when the truth about Maddie's paternity had all come tumbling out. Maddie hesitantly looked past Deacon, her eyes focused on the lounge behind him.

Deacon looked behind him and nervously turned back to face her. He opened the hotel room door wider. "Sorry, did you wanna come in?"

Maddie nodded, quickly picking up her guitar before wandering in. She looked around quietly, unsure of what to do. Deacon told her she could put her guitar down next to his and she followed his instruction. Nervously, she clapped her hands, blowing heavily as she looked at the ground. Deacon smiled. Rayna did that; she always clapped her hands when she was nervous.

"Coffee?" Deacon tried, walking towards the small kitchenette to the side of the lounge area.

Maddie screwed up her face, shooting him a look. "I'm thirteen…."

"Oh..." Deacon mouthed, putting the kettle back down.

"According to Mom, I'm not old enough to drink that stuff anyways…" Maddie laughed, hoping not to have offended to Deacon.

"Right."

"I drink soda…" Maddie tried.

"So do I." Deacon grinned, grabbing two cans of soda out of the bar fridge. He walked over and handed one to Maddie and they both sat down on the lounge. "So…"

Maddie fidgeted and picked at the soda can. "Can I ask you a question?" Maddie hesitated, taking a sip of soda.

Deacon nodded.

"Do you want a daughter?" Maddie squinted, rubbing her nose as she looked at him.

Deacon's breath caught and he swallowed hard. "That's a big question…a question I don't have all the answers for…"

"Well, I guess what I'm asking…is…Do you want me, you know as a daughter?"

Deacon brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face and smiled. "Maddie, I've loved you since the first day your Momma let me hold you side of stage at a tour rehearsal when you were just a baby…"

"You have?"

Deacon nodded. "This is new for both of us…I don't know how you feel about it, you probably think it's weird…I know I'm still tryin' to figure it out…I kinda feel really old."

Maddie laughed, taking the edge off the conversation.

"You know, I don't know the first thing about being a Dad...But I do know that I want to be there for you, even if you only want me as a friend...I'm willin' to be your friend, I'm willin' to learn…I'm willin' to do whatever you want…"

"Maybe we could help each other?" Maddie suggested.

"Maybe we could." Deacon agreed.

"You're right." Maddie smiled. "This is really weird."

Deacon nodded.

"But weird in a good way…I think." Maddie continued.

"A good way?"

"I dunno…" Maddie shrugged, looking at the soda can clutched tightly in her hands. "I've always kind of felt different, you know to Daphne…I mean, we're the same and all…but I just felt different."

Deacon sat quietly, listening to her intently.

"But now, knowing the that you're my Father…I don't feel so different anymore…Obviously, I was angry at Mom for lying to me…real angry…but I'm not so mad anymore. I guess I get why she did it…everything was real complicated…"

"She didn't do it to hurt you…" Deacon started, not fully knowing where his answer had even come from.

"-I know…I don't think she did it to hurt you either." Maddie spoke without thinking.

Deacon paused, lips pursed as Maddie did a double take.

"Oh, um…I'm-" Maddie spoke quickly.

"-It's…" Deacon started, unable to finish the sentence as he looked at his feet.

They sat in silence for a few moments.

"I'm sorry…"

"What for?" Deacon frowned. "Darlin', you have nothin' to be sorry for…"

"Yes I do." Maddie pursed her lips, still tapping the soda can. "If I hadn't told you about….you know, you being my….maybe you and Mom-"

"-Maddie, none of this is your fault, you hear me?" Deacon reiterated, looking at her knowingly. He saw the blame she was carrying in her eyes; blame for the accident, blame for how everything going on between him and Rayna. "The accident, your Momma and I…it had nothin' to do with you…"

"But it feels like it does and I needed you to know I'm sorry…Uncle…I mean, Deacon…I'm sorry." Maddie whispered helplessly. She was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that she couldn't call him Uncle Deacon anymore. It was all so strange and confusing. He wasn't her Uncle he was her Father.

"Sweetheart, stop apologisin'…it's not your fault."

"But." Maddie pushed, stopping short when she noticed Deacon simply smiling at her. She laughed a little, eventually nodding in acknowledgment. "…Ok...I…sometimes I talk too much when I'm nervous…it's kind of a bad habit…."

"It's ok." Deacon smiled, hoping to offer her a little comfort.

They both laughed.

"You and Mom aren't together anymore, are you?" Maddie asked.

Deacon blew, closing his eyes as he smiled. Maddie certainly was determined to ask a hundred and one questions today, each pointed and intentional. He should've known that she'd get around to talking about Rayna.

"You haven't come round in weeks, she doesn't call you, and you don't call her..." Maddie observed. "It's obvious, I'm not stupid."

"It's complicated." Deacon replied, shaking his head as he looked at the young girl.

"Well uncomplicate it."

"It's a little bit harder than that…"

"No, it's not."

"Maddie."

"She loves you." Maddie ignored him, searching his face as he picked up his guitar. "She told me herself and she never tells me things like that…"

"I love her too." Deacon admitted, starting to strum his guitar.

"See…" Maddie smiled, naively pushing her point with Deacon again. "so you should be together!"

"Maddie."

"I know you're both mad at each other, but can't you just work it out-?"

"-We're not mad at each other, we're workin'-" Deacon interjected, shaking his head as he tried correcting Maddie.

"-You're not mad at her?" Maddie scrunched up her face. "I'm so confused. What's the problem then?"

Deacon laughed.

"I am so not gonna be this confusing when I'm a grown up…" Maddie shook her head. "Deacon, please…"

"You're not gonna let up are you?"

Maddie shook her head. "Mmm Mmm."

"You're stubborn, just like your Momma."

"Well, according to her on the phone the other night…she's not to blame for my stubbornness." Maddie smirked, pointing at him.

"Oh, really now?" Deacon shook his head. "The blame is on me is it?"

"Apparently."

He looked around the room. "Maddie, you're sure Tandy knows you're here, right?"

"Oh, yeah." Maddie nodded, suddenly remembering why she'd wanted to find Deacon in the first place. "…that's actually why I'm here."

"You are?"

Maddie smiled. "We have a favor to ask."


	37. Chapter 37

**NB: THANKYOU so much readers and reviewers...You are all far too kind. The song's in this chapter are 'Landslide - Fleetwood Mac (I had the Dixie Chicks version in mind if you listen to the songs whilst reading)' & 'What Would I Do Without You - Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors' - All copyright to the respective artists, I own nothing. PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/HOPES/THOUGHTS/COMMENTS/FAVORITES/FAVO RITE LINES OR MOMENTS/PMS and WHATEVER ELSE coming...****There will be three more chapters after this one, so we're nearly there people...it's a little bittersweet.**** This chapter was one that I really loved writing...I hope y'all like it...enjoy chapter thirty seven...**

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**CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN**

"Thank you, Houston!" Rayna shouted, waving at people as she ran up the runway and onto the main stage. Applause echoed around the arena and Rayna smiled, flipping a loose curl out of her face before adjusting the power pack on her pants. They were six songs into her set. She gulped down air, trying to catch her breath as she looked over to Liam. Rayna pointed at him and looked out to arena. "Liam McGinnis everybody! Isn't he great y'all!?"

The arena roared with squealing and ovation. Rayna clapped too, smile wide as she encouraged the audience to scream louder.

"What about me?" Juliette piped up, microphone in hand as she suddenly walked onto the stage waving to everyone.

The whole arena erupted into applause and Rayna froze. Impulsively, she spun around, hoping that she'd been hearing things. No, she wasn't hearing things. Juliette was standing on her stage, in her allocated time slot, right there, right now, and no one seemed to mind. Rayna smiled a sugary smile, briefly looking side of stage to try and catch sight of Bucky. No Bucky. She looked at Liam and frowned. He was laughing.

"What'd you think about me Rayna, hmmm?" Juliette grinned, stopping about six feet from where Rayna stood.

"Well…" Rayna drawled, smiling through her teeth as she put a hand to her hip.

"Maybe don't answer that." Juliette joked, pretending to laugh as she looked out into the arena.

Rayna shook her head and tried to read Juliette's expression. She had no idea what was going on, but she wasn't about to have a melt down mid show. She held her microphone to her mouth and spoke dryly. "To what do we owe the pleasure of you joinin' us up here?...As far as I can tell, this isn't the encore yet…"

The audience laughed; some were yelling for a duet and more songs and some were just yelling in general.

"You see the thing is…" Juliette grinned, waving her hands around. "I um…Liam would you help me out here?"

Liam nodded, quickly putting his guitar on a stand before running up to centre stage. Rayna frowned, more confused than before as she looked between Juliette and Liam.

"Before we do anything else…I'm just gonna need to…" Liam started, quickly covering Rayna's eyes with his hands before she could figure out what was happening. She struggled to get free, but Liam finally convinced her to stand still.

"What in the hell is goin' on?" Rayna sung, trying to hide her frustration as she stood idly in front of Liam.

"You see y'all…" Juliette smiled as she talked to the audience. "Today is a special day…"

"Very special." Liam called, earning a few laughs from people in the front row. Rayna stomped on his toe and he nearly dropped his hands from her eyes. She smirked when he momentarily cried out in pain.

"It's actually Rayna's birthday today." Juliette nodded, as she pointed at Rayna. Rayna shook her head, still trapped in Liam's hold as the arena thundered with applause.

"…and we have a little surprise…two little surprises actually."

Rayna couldn't figure out what Juliette was talking about but she heard the arena explode into screaming and cheering. Rayna wanted to cover her ears as the sound tumbled onto the stage; it was deafening. Curious and impatient, Rayna pushed Liam's fingers off her eyes and threw her hands to her mouth when she saw Maddie and Daphne. Nervously, the two little girls walked onto the stage grinning and instruments in hand. Stagehands followed after them with microphone stands and a stool. The stagehands promptly placed the equipment on the stage, made adjustments and quickly left. Her breath caught when she saw someone else. Deacon. He was plugging in and talking to Rayna's bass player quietly. Rayna shook her head and looked back to her two daughters. Daphne was giggling as she looked at the stool; it was nearly as tall as she was. Liam and Juliette hastily ran to Daphne's side. Juliette took her ukulele off her so she could climb up onto the stool and Liam adjusted the microphone stand.

"That's good." Daphne whispered timidly, looking from Maddie to Rayna.

"What in the world are y'all doin' here in Houston?" Rayna asked, hand on hip as she finally recovered. She pretended to look at a watch on her wrist as she grinned. "It is way, way past your bedtime…"

"Surprise!" Juliette and Liam chimed, waving their hands gleefully as they smiled at Rayna.

Rayna rolled her eyes and the arena filled with laughter.

"Everyone…" Juliette called, pointing to the girls. "Maddie and Daphne."

"Maddie and Daphne…" Liam followed, gesturing to the arena. "…Everyone."

Both girls smiled and said hello, nervously fidgeting with instruments and microphones.

"Now, there's somethin' y'all actually came here to do…so now that you've met everyone…why don't you tell us what it is?" Juliette spoke affectionately, nodding encouragingly at Maddie.

Maddie laughed nervously, finally looking at Rayna as she spoke into her microphone. "Hi Mom."

"Hi sweetheart." Rayna raised an eyebrow, still stunned that they'd managed to pull this off without her finding out.

"Firstly, Daphne and I…we wanna say happy birthday, Mom." Maddie started, looking at her younger sister.

"We love you so, so much." Daphne grinned.

"We're so grateful to Uncle Bucky for flying us out so we could be here with you tonight." Maddie continued.

"Uncle Bucky, hey?" Rayna mouthed, hiding a smile.

"…and we actually have a little somethin' prepared for you Mom…" Maddie grinned nervously. "…if that's ok?"

Applause and excitement travelled around the arena and Juliette and Liam signalled to the girls that they could start whenever they were ready. Maddie looked over her shoulder, her eyes searching for Deacon. When she found him she smiled. He smiled back, holding his guitar up as if to signal to her that he'd follow her. She nodded and turned to her microphone.

"This song…it's a song we both really love…" Maddie started, looking at her guitar to position her fingers for the starting chord. "and we hope you all like it too."

"It's one our Mom wrote way, way, long ago…" Daphne scratched her nose and looked down at her ukulele. "Like, before I was born, before Maddie was born-"

"-I think she meant to just say Mom wrote it a long time ago." Maddie corrected Daphne.

"With Deacon." Daphne added, pointing back at Deacon.

"Yes…with Deacon." Maddie agreed.

Everyone laughed.

"Anyway…the song, its called Landslide…we hope you like it." Maddie smiled.

Completely shocked and in awe, Rayna's face softened as she heard her eldest daughter begin to strum the beginnings of the familiar melody. When Deacon, her bass player and her percussionist fell in behind Maddie and Daphne, it took everything in her not to burst into tears right in the middle of the stage. She was so proud of them, so proud that they were her daughters. Maddie looked at Daphne and Daphne smiled at her reassuringly before looking down to change a chord on her ukulele.

Maddie stepped up to the microphone and willed herself to sing, forgetting her nerves and the crowded arena. "I took my love and I took it down. I climbed a mountain and I turned around. And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills…well the landslide brought me down."

Maddie stepped back and looked over at Daphne, gesturing to her sister's microphone. Daphne nodded. "Oh, mirror in the sky…What is love? Can the child within my heart rise above?"

Together they sang, Maddie taking the melody and Daphne taking the harmony. "Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?…Can I handle the seasons of my life?... Uh ah ... uh ah ... uh ah ..."

Both girls looked at Rayna, smiling nervously. Rayna's heart was bursting with every kind of emotion; she had so much love for those two little people, she couldn't describe it.

Maddie nodded at Rayna, mouthing the words. "Mom...sing!"

"Well, I've been afraid of changin'…'Cause I built my life around you. But time makes you bolder, children get older… and I'm gettin' older too." Rayna sang, slowly walking over to the side of the stage where Daphne and Maddie were singing harmonies. Maddie looked over her shoulder and waved to Deacon as Rayna sang. "Well…."

Deacon walked over to them, his fingers picking the instrumental as he walked. He couldn't hide the smile on his face. By far, this instrumental had always been his favorite because he knew how much Rayna loved it. He looked over briefly at Maddie who was swaying in time with music, but his eyes kept moving till he found Rayna. Her eyes were just like his, soft and full of love. She gave him a knowing look and he smiled before playing the last note of the instrumental. Slow and discreetly, he walked backwards, nodding to acknowledge the applause throughout the arena.

"So…" Rayna sang, rocking on her feet as she looked around at her band who had easily fallen in behind her daughters. "take this love and take it down…"

"Yeah, and if you climb a mountain and you turn around… And If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills…Well the landslide brought me down." Maddie and Daphne sang.

"If you see my reflection in the snow cover hills…well, maybe." Rayna sang, looking to her youngest.

"Well maybe…" Daphne sang, playing the last strum on her ukulele.

"Well maybe…" Maddie sang, leading as Daphne sang a higher harmony. She played the final chord, gently resting her hands on top of her guitar. "The landslide will bring you down…"

Maddie stepped back from the microphone and cheering and screaming filled the stage. Both girls nodded, thanking everyone. Rayna ran to them, pulling both girls into a warm embrace.

"Thank you girls…." Rayna whispered, pulling them in tighter. "I love you so, so much."

"We love you, Mom." Both girls spoke in unison.

Rayna looked over Daphne's shoulder and saw Deacon watching her affectionately. She mouthed. "Thank you."

He nodded.

"Happy birthday….to you." Juliette and Liam started, gesturing to the arena to sing the rest. The audience came through, all eager to sing the birthday song to Rayna.

Rayna let go of the girls and turned around to see a stagehand wheeling out a big, meticulously decorated birthday cake. She shook her head, covering her mouth with her hands as she listened to everyone sing. Daphne and Maddie quickly gave their instruments to two stagehands and ran to stand beside Rayna. When the birthday song had been sung Rayna blew out the candles with the help of her daughters. The stagehand pulled out a knife and gave it to Rayna. Rayna's eyes immediately found Liam and she made a face.

Liam took Juliette's microphone and smiled. "So…Rayna…"

"No." She mouthed.

"So tradition says that if you touch the bottom of that cake with your knife…then you have to kiss the nearest boy." Liam mocked, crossing his arms as he looked out to the arena. "What do you think of that?"

"Ooooh..." Daphne scrunched up her face. Maddie slapped her on the arm.

Everyone cheered and Rayna shook her head. Liam and Juliette were whispering, signaling to different band mates around the stage. Juliette waved to Maddie and Daphne and they ran past Rayna to stand next to her.

"What are you waiting for?!" Liam asked, gesturing between the knife and the cake.

Rayna smiled and reluctantly began to cut into the cake. Immediately, Juliette, Liam, the girls, and every male band member ran to the opposite side of the stage. Rayna frowned. She hit the bottom of the cake and screaming and squeals echoed around her as people pointed behind her. She turned around to see Deacon looking as confused as her; he clearly had not been in on everyone else's plan. Rayna looked over at Liam and Juliette and swore under her breath, they were clapping wildly as they pointed to Deacon. Neither Rayna nor Deacon moved, suddenly aware of how they'd been played by the whole band and crew. Impatient, Daphne ran across the stage towards Deacon and promptly dragged him to center stage.

"Come on!" She groaned, pulling him with all her might. "You're like her boyfriend…so you have to…"

Deacon chuckled as he looked from the little girl to Rayna.

"There…" Daphne smiled, patting them both before running back over to the others.

"Hi." Rayna whispered, her cheeks three shades of red.

"Hi." He mimicked.

Before either could overthink it, Rayna leant over and kissed him on the cheek and quickly pulled away. They both smiled and screams roared around the arena as he walked back to where he'd been standing. Rayna walked over to the cake to pick up her microphone.

"Happy?" She sighed.

Everyone cheered.

"Thank y'all…" Rayna spoke sincerely, her eyes finding her two daughters who were giggling and smiling with Juliette and Liam. "I love y'all so so much."

Everyone applauded.

"Alright people!" Juliette called. "This is our cue to go…"

With that Juliette, Daphne and Maddie walked off the stage and Rayna and the band were left to quickly recover. Rayna readjusted an inner ear piece and hastily spoke to Liam before walking to center stage. "Alright y'all…how about a new one?!"

**- NASHVILLE -**

Walking out of the elevator, Rayna checked that she was on the right floor. Slowly she wandered, hoping that she'd read the post-it note correctly. She picked at the corners of the little piece of paper as she walked until she finally came to a glass door that read 'Indoor Pool: Operating Hours 7am – 8pm'. She laughed and reluctantly pushed her weight against the door, stumbling inside. Rayna's eyes fell on the far end of the pool and she gasped. Deacon sat cross-legged with his guitar on the concrete, lots of tea light candles offering a warm, flicking light around him as he quietly waiting.

Rayna walked slowly, surprise hanging heavily on her face as she made her way up the side of the pool. She looked at Deacon and he was smiling. "What's goin' on?"

Deacon stood up carefully, making sure he didn't knock over any candles. "Happy birthday."

"Seriously?" Rayna giggled, taking the final steps through a minefield of candles to stand with him.

"Seriously."

"Deacon, it's…" Rayna looked around her, lost for words. She could feel her hands shaking. "You did...you did this for me?"

"Only if you like it…" He grinned nervously. "I didn't really know what you'd want for your birthday, and I thought that maybe you'd…but if-"

"-Shhh…" Rayna shook her head, resting her fingers on her mouth as she looked at all the candles.

Deacon read her thoughts. "Lightin' all of those took a lot longer than I thought it would…I was half expectin' not to be done by the time you got here."

Rayna laughed, smiling absentmindedly. "Well, you did good…"

"So…" Deacon blew nervously, drawing her attention back to him. "Which present do you want first?"

"There's more than one?" Rayna chuckled, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. This felt surreal. She couldn't remember the last birthday they'd shared where it hadn't been a disaster.

Deacon nodded.

"Well…" Rayna drawled, swaying back and forth. "Which one do you think I'd want first?"

He promptly turned around and picked up a small package and handed it to her. She noticed the little card and opened it. _You really didn't have to steal from me…all you had to do was ask and I would've given them to you…Happy birthday Ray. Love Deacon. _

Rayna laughed so hard Deacon thought she was going to lose her balance. He steadied her and she ripped open the wrapping to find a Reece's Cups packet.

"That's the best birthday present I've ever received." She smiled, holding the packet close to her chest. "…Thank you."

"You're welcome…"

She looked behind him and noted that there were no more presents.

He laughed.

"So…I got to thinkin' these last few days…" Deacon swallowed hard, clumsily finding the strings on his guitar. "and this last little while, it hasn't exactly been easy between us…it hasn't been great, it hasn't been like it used to be…and there were times that I thought about givin' up…on this, on us…but the last two weeks happened and somethin' changed."

Rayna nodded, completely silent as she hugged herself.

"The last two weeks have shown me that I want to work on what we are together, I want to work on it with you…I didn't think it was possible….but I've found that I love you more now than I did before, I want to be with you more now than I did before and I just…." Deacon smiled warmly, strumming his guitar softly. Rayna's eyes were hazy and she was smiling. "…only way I can tell you how I feel is through gift number two…"

"You wrote me a song." Rayna whispered.

Deacon nodded nervously and turned his attention to his guitar. His fingers picked up the pace and he played a light and cheery refrain. He looked up at her and swallowed before he sang. "Sometimes I wake up with the sadness…other days it feels like madness…Oh…what would I do without you? When colors turn to shades of grey with the weight of the world at the end of the day…Oh…what would I do without you?"

Rayna gripped her hands together and stood perfectly still as she listened. He was singing for her, he was singing to her alone. That thought in itself was enough to ruin her completely. He looked at her and she couldn't breathe. Nervously, she brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and attempted to ignore the sound of her heart hammering against her chest.

"A decade goes by without a warnin' and there's still a kindness in your eyes. Amidst the questions and the worries…a peace of mind always takes me by surprise…" Deacon sang, pausing briefly to meet Rayna's gaze before he looked at his guitar again. "The difference between what I've said and done…and you're still standing by my side….A guilty soul and a worried mind. I will never make it, if I'm on my own…"

Pensively, Rayna swayed back and forth as she tried hiding her smile. Deacon's fingers slipped when he kept his eyes on her a few seconds too long and she giggled. He grinned happily and quickly recovered as he found the next chord.

"You've got your sunshine, I've got rainclouds. You've got hope, I've got my doubts." He sang lowly, cocking his head as he contemplated his next lyric. He smiled to himself as he continued. "Oh…what would I do without you? Oh…what would I do without you? Oh…what would I do without you?"

Deacon leisurely let his fingers pick the outro instrumental of the song before playing the final notes. He slowly released his grip on the guitar neck and looked up at Rayna. She was smiling, her cheeks flushed and her eyes warm as she clapped. Gently, he pulled the guitar strap over his head and put the instrument on top of its case.

"You see, Ray…" Deacon started, his voice husky and low. He straightened up and walking towards her. Rayna's eyes widened, but his action didn't faze her. "Problems or not, I don't wanna know what I'd do without you…because I wanna be with you. I love you. I want this, us, you…I wanna be with you…I want you…if you'll have me."

Rayna bit her lip and nodded promptly, a combination of relief and affection crossing her face as he took her hands in his.

"I want you too." Rayna whispered breathily, resting her palms on his chest as he gently pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her waist.

They both smiled, searching one another's eyes as they looked at one another quietly. Deacon smirked and Rayna made a face, squirming as his fingers brushed across her lower back.

He pursed his lips and repositioned his hands on her waist as he spoke softly. "I'm gonna kiss you now…"

Rayna blushed and nodded coyly as she looked up at him knowingly. She could feel his body against hers as he pulled her closer. He felt her shiver and he smiled as he leant down slowly and lifted a hand to her cheek. Expectant, Rayna's hands trembled against his chest as she waited and watched. Her heart was pounding, so was his. The tension around and between them was palpable and she was finding it hard to breath as his lips lingers inches away from hers. The anticipation was unbearable. These quiet moments were unnerving. When she thought she would come undone, Deacon leant in and kissed her slowly and deliberately. Rayna wrapped her arms around his neck, sighing as his mouth stayed on hers. Her whole body was on fire; reignited with things she had spent so many nights dreaming about. She knew he felt the same. He groaned when she trailed her fingers up his neck to his hair, letting him kiss her again. They became lost in one another's kisses and embraces; both desperate not to let go, both desperate to remember how the other felt, how they tasted, how they reacted. Both breathing heavily, they pulled back and rested their foreheads together.

"Wanna get out of here?" Deacon smiled, running his fingers up and down her back.

Rayna raised an eyebrow, pretending not to understand the connotation behind the question. "Why?"

"Well…" Deacon shrugged, leaning in to whisper against her neck. "I might have another birthday gift for you…if you're interested…"

Rayna gasped, trying not to react when he kissed her neck. "Is that right?"

"You interested, Ray?"

"I might be." She chuckled, letting him spin her around so he could wrap his arms around her and walk her towards the door. "...Hang on, what about the candles? Your guitar? Hell, my Reece's Cups-"

"I'll fix it later..." He smiled, pulling her hard against him as they wandered slowly. "Right now, I'm wantin' to know if you're interested in gettin' another gift..."

"It depends..."

"On?"

"It depends on whether this _gift_ is really about me…or if it's actually about you." She smirked, feeling him react to her. It was obvious that he wanted her; his body was giving him away.

He laughed, shaking his head.

"That's what I thought." Rayna scoffed, pulling his hands back to her waist when he tried to send them downward.

"Tonight…" Deacon spoke huskily, bringing her laughing to a stop as she gulped. He ignored her request to keep his hands on her waist. "isn't about me…Darlin', it's all about you…it's all about what _I _can do for _you_."

"Mmhmm." Rayna managed, trying to ignore his travelling hands as she looked up at him.

Deacon grinned. "…and if you find a way to thank me after…I'll be up for that."

Rayna laughed, shaking her head. "I'm sure you will be..."

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**- FOR BECKYPO -  
**


	38. Chapter 38

**NB: Goodness me. Y'all always make me smile with your following and reviewing of this story. I adore that you seem to love it. I appreciate you all. In this chapter the song is 'Baby - Justin Bieber' (Please for the sake of this chapter listen to Ben Abraham's cover of the song because that is one of the only reasons this song got used in the first place...haha...Youtube it and you'll understand)...please do not hate, but I thought the song would fit the chapter and the situation..haha..PLEASE KEEP your LOVES/HATES/HOPES/FAVORITE LINES AND MOMENTS/COMMENTS/PMS and WHATEVER ELSE COMING...With all of that out of the way, thank you again...enjoy chapter thirty eight..**

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**CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT**

"I don't wanna go…" Rayna whispered groggily, nestling into Deacon as she shook her head slowly.

"…Then don't." He replied, feeling her shiver as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Stay…"

"I have to go…" She groaned, stealing a look at him before burying her head in his chest again.

"Darlin'…the longer you lie here contemplatin' leavin'…the harder it's gonna be." He smiled. "…I mean, I'm not exactly finding it easy to come up with reasons to get you out of my bed."

Rayna pulled away from him, falling flat on her back as she looked up at the ceiling. She could feel him watching her and she shuddered. "I'm…it's just…it's cold…and early."

"Well…" Deacon hummed, hastily leaning over her as he smiled knowingly. "if you're cold…"

Rayna chuckled, reaching for him when he leant down to kiss her softly. He pinned her under his body, deepening the kiss as he tried to free them from the sheets that were keeping them parted. Rayna mumbled nonsense words, quickly rolling out from underneath him and onto her stomach.

"Babe, no…" She laughed; her hair dishevelled and her smile wide. "You're supposed to be givin' me reasons to leave…."

"What if I wanna be givin' you good reason to stay?"

"You're no help..." Rayna sighed, blowing hair out of her eyes so she could see his face. "What's the time?"

Deacon rolled over to look at the clock beside the bed. "5am."

Rayna's eyes widened and she threw back the covers.

"What are you doin'?" He laughed, propping himself up as he watched her curiously.

"What does it look like I'm doin'?" She smirked, hurrying around the bed in search of her clothes. She found her jeans and a boot.

"Runnin' around my bed naked…."

Rayna shot him a look, bursting into fits of laughter when he looked her up and down. She found her shirt under an armchair. "No, it looks like me needin' to get up to my room before the girls wake up…"

"It's 5am, Ray. 5am."

Rayna shook her head. "Here's the thing...give it about half an hour and Daphne will be up and runnin' around that damn penthouse...jumpin' on my bed demandin' breakfast…"

Deacon smirked. "She can't jump on your bed if you're not there…"

"Exactly…"

"I thought Tandy had babysittin' duty covered for you?"

"She does, but I wanna be there when they wake up, you know?" She replied, sweeping her hair out of her face as she clumsily pulled her jeans on.

"So…you're gonna run upstairs…jump in that bed of yours, wait till you get _woken_ up by the girls…and pretend that you were never here, almost like it never happened?" Deacon asked, pretending to be insulted as he watched Rayna finish buttoning her shirt up.

Rayna smiled coyly and climbed onto the bed slowly, crawling over to him. "No babe…I'm not gonna forget that last night happened…"

"I hope so…" He grinned, sitting up to kiss her when she climbed on top of him.

"You make it awful hard for a girl to forget…let me tell you now." Rayna replied, mumbling in between kisses.

"What can I say?" He smirked, brushing her cheek with his thumb. "I'm somethin' else…"

"You are good." She nodded, kissing him quickly before pulling away to look at him. "Thank you…"

Deacon looked at her curiously.

Rayna tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "…for last night."

Deacon chuckled, slipping his fingers under her shirt.

Rayna slapped his arms. "-Not just that babe, honestly…I mean, helpin' the girls out with their surprise…the pool, you singin' to me…my Reece's Cups-"

"-Even the Reece's Cups?" Deacon mocked.

"-even those…" She nodded, taking his hands in hers. "Thank you for makin' my birthday somethin' I want to remember…"

Deacon smiled warmly, feeling a sense of accomplishment as she looked at him affectionately. He pulled her in and kissed her slow. "You're welcome."

"Now…" Rayna cleared her throat, climbing off his lap. "I really have to go…"

"I wish you didn't."

"Me too…."

Deacon stared at her and smiled when she caught him looking.

"I'll see you for breakfast today before we fly out…right?" Rayna asked, twirling her hair into a messy twist.

"Wouldn't miss it."

Rayna smiled.

Deacon felt something under the covers and frowned. He smirked when he realised what it was. "Hey, Ray…"

Rayna spun around, hand on the door handle as she looked over at him. She laughed when she caught sight of what he was holding.

"I think you're forgettin' somethin'…" He hummed, holding her panties up in the air.

"How can I forget somethin' if I left it there on purpose?" She matched his wicked smile.

Deacon shook his head, blowing heavily as he watched her close the door. She was certainly something else.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Just choose something already…" Maddie groaned, death staring Daphne as they all sat around the table. "You're the one who was complaining that they were hungry half an hour ago."

"I can't decide." Daphne hummed, running her finger down the menu. "Do I want yogurt?...or do I want pancakes?"

"Seriously?! We've all ordered…"

"Maddie, stop being a big-" Daphne shook her head.

"-Mornin' everyone!" Juliette chimed, walking over to the table with Glenn following behind her. The girls stopped mid argument, both captivated by Juliette. They smiled up at her sweetly and Tandy and Rayna scoffed. "How are we all?"

"Mornin'." Rayna smiled before pointing at Daphne's menu. "Sweetheart…what are you havin'?"

"I-" Daphne clicked her tongue.

"-Good morning!" Liam boomed, arms open wide as he and Bucky walked in together. Everyone mumbled hellos. Daphne and Maddie weren't particularly interested; Daphne was still looking at her menu and Maddie was glaring at her.

Juliette, Glenn, Bucky and Liam ordered and made small talk, pretending not to be slightly amused by Daphne's inability to decide what she wanted.

"Come on, sweetheart…" Rayna sighed, trying not to sound frustrated as she smiled through her teeth at her youngest. Daphne mumbled on and on and Rayna squeezed her eyes shut. She looked off into the distance, catching her breath when her eyes met Deacon's. She blushed, quickly looking away when he smiled at her. Rayna cleared her throat and pretended she hadn't seen him. "…yogurt or pancakes?"

"Well…" Daphne scrunched up her face, smiling excitedly when she looked over Rayna's shoulder. "Deacon!?"

Maddie looked up and grinned. "Deacon!"

"I'm clearly not their favorite…" Liam joked, making everyone laugh as they watched the girls push Tandy out of her seat so that Deacon could sit between them.

Deacon greeted everyone, carefully making his way around the table. Rayna shivered when his fingers faintly brushed across her back as he passed her. He pretended not to notice what he'd done, smiling happily as the girls pointed at the empty seat.

"Here…" Daphne grinned, handing him a menu. "You have to decide what you want…"

"Says you…" Maddie raised an eyebrow.

"Well, let's see, shall we?" Deacon chuckled, looking up fleetingly at Rayna. Rayna looked away quickly, cursing herself. She could feel her face getting hot.

"Are you ok?" Tandy whispered, cutting Bucky off to look at Rayna. "Sweetie, you're goin' red…"

Rayna choked down the glass of water in front of her. She spoke between splutters. "I'm fine, it's just a little hot in here is all."

Liam, Juliette, Bucky, Glenn and Tandy all looked at her sceptically. Rayna shrugged them off and picked up her cell phone, pretending to be grossly interested in what was on the screen.

"Double egg sandwich." Deacon said finally, putting the menu down. Daphne nodded quickly, copying the way Deacon put his menu down. Deacon called a waitress over.

"You decided yet?" Maddie scoffed, playing with her glass of orange juice.

"Yes, I have." Daphne grinned.

"I'll have a double egg sandwich, thanks." Deacon nodded to the waitress.

"What about you sweetie?" the waitress looked down at Daphne. "You ready to order yet?"

"Probably not…" Maddie mumbled.

"I'll have a double egg sandwich, thanks." Daphne mimicked Deacon.

Maddie rolled her eyes and the whole table burst into laughter.

"You sure, hon?" Rayna asked, hiding her smile.

"Mmhmm…" Daphne nodded, looking at everyone blankly. "What? I love double egg sandwiches."

"I'm sure you do." Tandy grinned, taking a sip of coffee as everyone fell back into casual conversation.

"Thanks…" Maddie whispered, leaning her elbows on the table as she smiled shyly. "For helping us…you know, last night…thanks."

Deacon grinned, looking at her. "Thanks for askin' me…"

"You're welcome." Maddie nodded.

"I heard a rumor that y'all are stayin' for the last few shows of the tour."

"You heard right…" Maddie nodded, playing with her fingers. "Although, we almost weren't aloud to because of school and…Da-" She stopped herself mid word, immediately regretting having said the word Dad.

Deacon noticed her distress. "Because your Dad would miss havin' you at home…"

Maddie smiled gratefully. "Somethin' like that, I suppose…"

"Well, I'm glad you're here."

"Me too…" she pushed her glasses up, scratching her head. "I'm glad I'm here, you know, not just with Mom or Daphne…but you, too."

"Maybe, if it's ok with your Momma…and if it's ok with you…we could spend some time together when schedules allow it over the next few days." Deacon asked hesitantly, hoping with every fibre of his being that he wouldn't be rejected by a thirteen year old.

"I'd like that."

"You would?"

"Mmhmm."

"It's a date then."

"It is."

"I need to pee." Daphne piped up, frustrated that she seemed to be blocked out of conversations.

"That's nice, sweetheart…" Rayna hummed, shaking her head at her daughter's lack of manners.

"Can you take me?" Daphne looked at Rayna. "Please…"

"I'll take her, I need to use the bathroom anyway." Maddie sighed, already pushing back from the table to stand up. Daphne ran past her and Maddie groaned, running to keep up.

Everyone laughed as they watched the two girls disappear. Moments later, two waitresses appeared with plates of food. There were smiles and thankyous as food was placed around the table. Rayna looked at her plate and smiled when she felt Deacon's eyes on her. Her cell phone buzzed and she jumped. Cautiously, she picked it and read the message. It was from Deacon.

_Only thing I'm thinking about is how much closer I want to be to you._

Rayna smirked, deliberately looking at him over the top of her cell phone. He grinned when she pursed her lips; she was clearly trying to find something to say that would pack a punch. She typed quickly, hit send and put her cell phone face down on the table before taking a bite of toast. On cue, Deacon's phone buzzed and he struggled not to scramble to pick it up. Rayna made conversation with Tandy, pretending not to notice. He opened the message and nearly fell off the seat.

_Only thing I'm thinking about is how much I want you underneath me. _

Rayna smirked and everybody looked at him.

"Deacon, are you ok?" Juliette asked, narrowing her eyes as she studied him closely.

"Me?!" Deacon coughed, straightening his shirt as he shifted in his seat. "I'm good, I'm fine."

"You sure?" Rayna cocked her head, lifting her cup to her mouth as he stifled a laugh.

"Mmhmm." He nodded, breathing heavily as he avoided Rayna's eye contact.

"So, Rayna…" Liam spoke up, cutting a piece of bacon. "How was last night?"

Rayna's eyes widened and she spat her water everywhere, choking and spluttering as she gasped for air. Why did he have to ask that? She forced herself not to look at Deacon because she knew he probably looked just as mortified as she did; both of their minds were stuck on last night. Unconsciously, Tandy handed her a pile of napkins and she began cleaning up the mess. Deacon smirked this time, glad that the attention was not on him.

Everyone looked at Rayna suspiciously.

"Did you enjoy it at least?" Liam tried, not taking his eyes off her when he realised that her reaction had nothing to do with what he was asking. It had everything to do with Deacon. "…The girls? Our brilliant planning? The cake? Any of it?"

Rayna sat mute.

"Well, that's the last time we ever try doing something nice…" Liam replied, looking over at Bucky and Juliette.

"What?" Rayna asked, only just registering what he was saying. "No. I did. I loved it y'all…it was…thank you so much, I really appreciate it."

"Mmhmm." Liam hummed, intentionally pushing her buttons.

"I do."

"Uhuh."

Rayna swore, shaking her head as she laughed.

Everyone laughed.

Not long after, the girls came back to the table and devoured the food on their plates. A half hour later, Bucky paid the bill and everyone prepared to leave.

"Airport, one hour…everyone got it?" Glenn called, smiling as he looked at everyone.

Amongst nods and mumbling, everyone slowly made their way for the doors.

Unnoticeably, Liam fell into step with Juliette. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but they're…." He made noises, struggling to find an appropriate way of verbalising what he was thinking. "…aren't they?"

"Well if." Juliette smirked, mimicking the noises Liam had made. "means what I think it does...then yes."

"They think they're so clever…" Liam mused, smiling at Bucky when he caught up with them. "Little do they know…they're anything but subtle."

"This again…really?" Bucky frowned, realising the topic of conversation.

"Hey," Juliette shrugged, ignoring Bucky. "I'm all for it…it's a lot better than them both broodin' and arguin'…When they're like that, I wanna slap them."

"You and me both." Liam agreed.

"This is my hell…." Bucky muttered, pointing at them as he walked away to catch up to Tandy.

"You love us, Bucky!" Liam grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I won't lie…We did good last night with." Juliette continued, gesturing in the direction of Deacon and Rayna who were walking with the girls. "_that_…"

"Yeah," Liam pursed his lips, nodding at Deacon. "I don't think we were the only ones that _did good _last night…if you catch my drift."

They both laughed.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Let me." Deacon offered, taking Rayna's carry on bag off her as she struggled to keep a hold of Daphne's jacket.

"Thanks." Rayna smiled, slowing her pace to walk with him as the girls hurried ahead to walk with Tandy and Bucky.

"Not long now…" He thought out loud.

"Three shows…and then it's all over." Rayna followed his thinking, nodding thoughtfully.

"Not everythin'…I hope." Deacon smiled eagerly, looking her up and down. She did a double take, reading the meaning behind his words.

"No…" She agreed, bumping his shoulder with hers as they walked. "not everythin'…"

Deacon nodded, fighting the urge to lean over and kiss her as they walked.

She laughed, noticing the frustration on his face. "What?"

"You and me…" He inhaled, raising his eyebrows. "Let's just say that I'm lookin' forward to the conversation you and I are gonna have about where we go from here…we never did have one of those conversations this mornin'..."

"Oh." Rayna grinned.

"We've tried private…that didn't turn out so good for us…" Deacon joked, looking down at her.

Rayna bit her lip, chuckling as she watched him while they walked. "What are you sayin'?"

"I'm sayin' that I'd like to be able to kiss you without it havin' to be behind closed doors…"

Rayna laughed, linking her arms with his. "Oh, that?"

"Oh, that." Deacon mocked her tone, making her smile.

Rayna shook her head. "Well…"

"Mom, Deacon!" Maddie called, waving them over. "Hurry up already…."

"_Later_." Rayna mouthed, letting go of his arm as they picked up the pace.

**- NASHVILLE - **

"You can go on last Juliette," Rayna nodded, flipping a page of a magazine as she spoke. "it really does not bother me."

"It doesn't?" Juliette made a face.

"Nope."

"But…" Juliette looked at Glenn and then at Bucky and Tandy. "I thought that-"

"-Girl, do you wanna close or not?" Rayna asked nonchalantly, finally looking up at her. "I mean, how else do you want me to offer the spot to you?"

"Don't fight it, Juliette...just go with it…" Liam provoked, taking her bean dip off the table to eat it. She glared at him and he raised his hands in defence, promptly standing up to leave the conversation.

"Charlottesville show. Scarlett and Gunnar, Rayna and then Juliette. Happy?" Glenn suggested.

"Scarlett and Gunnar won't be at the Charlottesville show…they've got some meetings with Marshall and the label this week." Bucky clarified, looking at Rayna to make sure he had his facts straight. Rayna nodded. "But, they'll be openin' for the two shows in Nashville."

Glenn nodded, quickly changing details to the itinerary. "So…Charlottesville show…Rayna first, Juliette last. Happy?"

"Yep." Rayna sighed, looking around at everyone.

"Fine." Juliette agreed.

Giggling from the opposite end of the cabin caught everyone's attention. Maddie and Daphne were sitting on the lounge opposite Deacon. Liam wandered over and sat next to him.

"What is it that the kids are listenin' to these days?" Deacon asked, holding his hand out as if to ask for either of the girl's iPods. Deacon took Daphne's when she handed it to him willingly. He began scrolling through the device and let out a low laugh.

"Good girl...got Mommy on your iPod." Liam clapped, looking over Deacon's shoulder. "Oh...You like the Biebster, do you Daphne?"

Daphne nodded, putting her ukulele on the armrest of the lounge. "Mmhmm."

"You mean Justin Bieber?" Deacon asked, looking at Liam sceptically.

"That's what I said." Liam shrugged.

"Sure." Deacon grinned.

"Yeah," Maddie replied casually, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "she also likes One Direction…"

"So do you?!" Daphne piped up.

"Do not!"

"Whoa," Liam's eyes widened. "we're not hating here…"

Both the girls giggled. Deacon asked Daphne for her ukulele and Liam asked Maddie for her guitar. They both complied.

"Those little guys….we love 'em so much." Liam spoke sarcastically, sitting Maddie's guitar on his knee.

Rayna and Juliette scoffed, both mumbling things to their managers as they watched the conversation between the little girls and the guys unfold.

"Do you know Justin Bieber songs?" Daphne cocked her head.

"Well…" Deacon spoke slowly, suddenly playing a chord on the ukulele. "there's that one y'all seem to always sing-"

"-Sing it, sing it, sing it-!" Daphne exclaimed.

"-No!" Juliette and Rayna whinged in unison.

Bucky and Tandy laughed.

"Yes!" Daphne and Maddie cried, clapping their hands gleefully.

"Geez, the grown ups are all boring today..." Liam sighed, pretending to be disgusted.

Deacon scrunched up his face, trying to remember the lyrics to the one song that he now knew because Maddie and Daphne seemed to always sing it. He couldn't believe he actually knew it. That thought alone made him laugh. Ignoring the pleas of Rayna and Juliette, he picked a key and started a steady rhythm, smiling up at Rayna and then at the girls. Quickly, Liam followed him, playing an accompanying riff.

"This song…it speaks to me…" Deacon mocked, looking over at Rayna. "Who knows, there might even be some truth to it…"

Rayna narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms as she tried to figure what song they were playing. Daphne and Maddie clearly knew because they were already giddy with excitement. Liam and Deacon rocked in time, grinning ear to ear. Deacon nodded to Liam and he cleared his throat.

"You know you love me, I know you care. Just shout whenever, and I'll be there. You are my love, you are my heart…and we will never ever, ever be apart…" Liam sang cheerily, smiling at a giggling Daphne.

"Are we an item? Girl, quit playin'…" Deacon sang, intentionally looking at Rayna straight. Rayna's eyes grew wide and she rolled her tongue across her teeth, crossing her arms as she tried to hide a smile. "We're just friends, what are you saying? Say there's another and look right in my eyes…My first love broke my heart for the first time and I was like..."

"Baby, baby, baby oooh…" Deacon and Liam sang, gesturing to Maddie and Daphne to sing. The girls took the melody and the harmony. "Like baby, baby, baby nooo…Like baby, baby, baby Noooo…I thought you'd always be mine."

Rayna and Juliette looked at each other and raised their eyebrows, sugary smiles plastered across their faces.

"Oh, for you I would have done whatever and I just can't believe we ain't together…and I wanna play it cool, but I'm losin' you." Liam sang, grinning happily at Rayna and Juliette. They both rolled their eyes, pretending not to like what they were hearing.

"I'll buy you anything, I'll buy you any ring…Girl, I'm in pieces, come on, fix me." Deacon sang, looking from Daphne and Maddie to Rayna. She shook her head, smiling coyly as she chuckled. "And just shake me 'til you wake me from this bad dream. I'm going down, down, down, down and I can't believe my first love won't be around."

"And I was like!" Juliette and Rayna called, surprising everyone as they both unexpectedly joined in with the chorus. "Baby, baby, baby oooh…Like baby, baby, baby nooo…Like baby, baby, baby oooh…"

"I thought you'd always be mine…" Deacon sang the last line, looking at Rayna. She cocked her head and he turned his attention to Daphne and Maddie as he viciously strummed the last chord.

Cheering and applause echoed through the cabin. Bucky and Tandy were whispering back and forth, Juliette was laughing, Rayna and Deacon were sharing secret smiles, and the girls were laughing at Liam as he made a joke about Glenn.

"Quite a sexy song, really." Liam joked, giving the guitar back to Maddie.

"Language! That's a dollar!" Daphne pointed a finger at Liam.

"Sorry…" Liam mouthed, holding his hands up as the little girl shook her head.

Everyone laughed, quickly turning to conversation after the frivolity settled down. Liam left the seat next to Deacon and went back to talk to Glenn and Juliette. Daphne and Maddie lost themselves in playing newly learnt songs, both picking harmonies and correcting one another's errors. Deacon closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the headrest of the lounge. Rayna sat down next time him, edging closer as she sat. She casually trailed his leg with fingers, checking around the cabin to make sure she wasn't drawing attention. No one was watching them. They were all interested in their own conversations.

Deacon's eyes shot open, overly aware of where Rayna's fingers were headed. He clenched his jaw, trying hard to keep his cool.

"Babe…" Rayna whispered, running her hand deliberately along his inner thigh.

"Mmmm?" Deacon managed, swallowing hard as he smiled uneasily, shifting in the seat in a hope to get her to stop what she was doing. It didn't work.

"I get the message."

"What message?"

"The song..." Rayna shrugged.

"I don't know what you're talkin' about." Deacon smirked, taking her hand off his leg to stop her hands from wandering.

"_Baby_…" She spoke lowly, emphasizing the word as she referenced the song. Deacon licked his lips, trying his best to ignore the affect she was having on him. She waited till he looked at her and smiled cheekily. "You thought I'd always be yours, hey?…Well, you're absolutely correct…I'm yours, all yours…"


	39. Chapter 39

**NB: Thank you a thousand and one times over every reader and reviewer. I can't thank you enough. This is the second last chapter...arghh...****Out of curiosity, because the next chapter is the last chapter, I'm really interested to see how y'all think this story might end. I'd love to hear what you think...anyway..****PLEASE KEEP YOUR LOVES/HATES/FAVORITES/THOUGHTS/FAVORITE LINES OR MOMENTS/COMMENTS/PMS or WHATEVER ELSE coming...thank you again, and enjoy...**

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY NINE**

"We love your music!" someone gushed, smiling excitedly as Rayna signed a CD.

"We know every one of your songs by heart…." someone else exclaimed, holding out a notebook for her to sign next.

"Really?!" Rayna grinned, quickly signing CD after CD, and notebook after notebook. "That's so kind of you."

"We're like, your biggest fans."

"Oh, gosh…y'all are so sweet…" Rayna brushed hair out of her face, looking over her shoulder at Tandy and Bucky. She smirked when she noticed that Daphne had conned Deacon in to giving her a piggyback. Someone asked for a photo and Rayna nodded, quickly posing and making a joke about how she was having a bad hair day after the flash went off.

"Mom's so pretty, isn't she?" Maddie grinned proudly, watching Rayna smile for the camera. She changed her position as she laughed and made small talk with a woman while the person taking the photo fiddled with the camera.

"She sure is." Deacon nodded, bending his knees to get a better hold on Daphne as she struggled to stay on his back.

"I wish I looked more like her." Maddie swallowed, hugging herself self-consciously after she readjusted her glasses.

"Darlin'…" Deacon smiled, bumping her with his elbow. "You're more like your Momma than you realise…"

Maddie shook her head, laughing a little in disbelief.

Deacon frowned, raising an eyebrow. "Maddie, you're the prettiest young lady I know…If anyone tells you different, they'll have me to answer to, alright?"

Maddie looked up at him shyly and smiled appreciatively when he nodded encouragingly.

"Hey?!" Daphne complained, looking over his shoulder at them. "What about me?!"

"You…Daphne Ray…" Deacon chuckled, shifting her weight on his back so that he could see her face. Daphne giggled when he used her middle name. "Are the prettiest _little _lady I know…"

"What about Mom?" Daphne asked, pointing over at Rayna. "Is she the prettiest old lady you know?"

"Daphne!" Maddie exclaimed, slapping her when the little girl's mouth dropped open in embarrassment.

They all laughed.

"She's not that old, you know what I meant…" Daphne giggled.

"Actually, we don't." Maddie shook her head, hiding her smile.

"No Daphne," Deacon replied, looking over at Rayna as she smiled and signed autographs. "I think your Momma is the prettiest lady in the whole wide world."

Both girls smiled at him affectionately.

"Deacon?" Daphne squeaked, resting an elbow on his shoulder as she frowned. Deacon furrowed his brow, waiting for her question. "You're still Mom's boyfriend, right?"

Maddie's eyes widened and she slowly turned to look at Deacon. She couldn't hide the smile on her face. Deacon ignored her.

"Pardon me?" Deacon cleared his throat, struggling to keep a good grip on Daphne as he spoke.

"Like…dating her, you're her boyfriend…" Daphne explained, waving her hands around. "You know, you like kiss and hold hands and stuff like that…"

Deacon inhaled sharply, trying not to laugh as he recalled Rayna telling him about how awkward Daphne could make a conversation. "…and stuff like that, hey?"

"Yeah." Daphne nodded, scratching her nose. "…So, are you? She kissed you last night on stage…"

"Yeah, are you Mom's boyfriend Deacon?" Maddie pursed her lips, crossing her arms.

Deacon chuckled, suddenly feeling like he'd been backed into a corner. He didn't have a straight answer for them, and he didn't know the first thing about how Rayna wanted to approach this with the girls. He didn't know how Rayna wanted to approach their relationship full stop. He knew that they'd spent the last few weeks working on their relationship, but he didn't know if that meant that they were together. Everything in him wanted to say yes, but everything in him knew better than to open his mouth when he and Rayna hadn't talked about it yet. He swallowed hard, looking for any sort of lifeline. Bucky and Tandy were in deep conversation, clearly not interested in anything but what the other was saying. Rayna was still talking to a group of women, smiling and politely thanking them for their compliments.

"Whose hungry?" Deacon tried, smiling uneasily.

"We just ate." Maddie said flatly.

"You can tell us, we won't tell anyone…" Daphne piped up, ignoring the mention of food as she cocked her head. "You can lie, but I already know your Mom's boyfriend anyway…"

"Let's play a game called….'Let's Stop Usin' the B Word….'." Deacon chuckled. "B standin' for boyfriend..."

"Deacon." Daphne sighed.

"Daphne." Deacon mimicked.

"Ok, let's get outta here." Rayna grinned, hurrying over to them. Relief flooded Deacon's face when he saw her.

"We have a car waitin'…" Bucky spoke up, pointing in the direction of the exit.

"Let's go!" Deacon hummed, quickly spinning around to make Daphne giggle before they walked.

"You, missy are one spoiled girl gettin' Deacon to carry you…" Rayna raised her eyebrows, looking her youngest daughter up and down as she clung to Deacon's back.

"It was his idea…" Daphne lied.

"Mmhmm…" Rayna nodded, giving her a look. "I'm sure it was…give Deacon a rest, come on, get down…."

"Fine…" Daphne groaned, reluctantly jumping off Deacon's back when he bent down.

Everyone laughed and slowly made their way towards the exit doors.

"Are you ok?" Rayna mumbled, stepping closer to Deacon as they walked.

"No need for us to have that talk…Apparently, I'm already your boyfriend…" Deacon joked.

Rayna frowned. "Say, what?"

"I think your nine year old is on to us." Deacon laughed.

**- NASHVILLE - **

**Day later**

"That was some show tonight…" Deacon smirked, pulling Rayna back against his body as the elevator doors closed in front of them. She hit the button for her floor.

"You were watchin'?" Rayna grinned, absentmindedly swaying as she leant back into him.

"All thirteen songs." He replied.

"See anythin' you liked?" She laughed, intertwining her fingers with his.

"Maybe…"

"Maybe?"

Deacon nodded, murmuring against her neck. "I guess you could say that I liked your dress…."

"Which dress?" Rayna shivered, already knowing the answer to her own question. It was the short, low cut, figuring-hugging dress she always wore for the finale. He loved that dress. Rayna smirked. She wasn't going to give in to him easily. Two could play this game.

"You know which one I'm talkin' about." He smiled, his breath hot against her neck. Rayna gulped. She refused to move as his hands deliberately slipped down to her thighs. He teased her, his fingers draw a line where the hem of the dress would've been. "You know, the low cut one that comes to about here?…"

"I vaguely remember it." Rayna sighed, pretending to be disinterested. Who was she kidding? Her knees were about to give way.

"It was very short…and it was very tight…" He murmured, brushing hair off her neck to kiss her. He smirked when she shuddered.

Rayna swallowed, unthinkingly pressing her body against his when he kissed her neck again. Her body burned as she shook with anticipation, desire quickly building with every touch. Yes, he was definitely going to win this little game.

"Oh, _that_ dress…" Rayna gasped, her arms flailing as his hands travelled up and down her body. "It's all comin' back to me…"

"All I could think about was gettin' you alone…just you and me." He whispered hoarsely.

"Well," Rayna shivered, slowly spinning around to look up at him. "we're alone now…"

Deacon leant down, knocking the wind out of her chest when he kissed her deeply. He groaned against her mouth, pulling her body closer. The elevator jolted, coming to a stop on the penthouse floor. They both pulled away, breathing heavily as they looked out into the empty hallway.

"Come on…" Rayna whispered, her voice full of desire as she reached for his hand. "I'm all by myself up here tonight…"

"You are?" Deacon asked curiously.

Rayna licked her lips, struggling to find the right words. "I told Tandy that I…um…needed to be alone tonight…"

Deacon frowned.

"What?"

"What you're sayin' Ray is that your sister knows you and I, that we're up here together…." Deacon made a face, coming to a stop in the middle of the hallway as he digested what Rayna had just said.

"Seriously, babe….she's not gonna be comin' up here tonight..." Rayna chuckled, leaning in to kiss him. "Do not make me beg you to come inside."

Deacon smiled, wrapping an arm around her waist as he walked them backwards towards her door.

"…because I will." She murmured against his lips.

"You would?" He smirked.

Rayna nodded, pulling the key card out of her back pocket. "There's no way you're not finishin' what you started in that elevator."

Deacon turned her around, one hand around her waist and the other helping her open the door. They both stumbled through the door, laughing as Deacon tried to kick the door shut. Rayna hurried around the corner, bounding into the lounge area. She swore. Deacon ran into her and sent them both tripping over each other as they tried to regain their balance.

"What the hell are y'all doin'?!" Rayna exclaimed, straightening up and subtly putting distance between her and Deacon as she focused on Bucky, Tandy, Juliette and Liam. Tandy held up the spare key card to Rayna's room. Deacon shot Rayna a knowing look and she rolled her eyes.

"Could ask you both the same question…" Liam smirked, deliberately crossing his arms as his eyes lingered on Deacon.

Rayna glared at him, matching his stance.

"You were all supposed to…you know, laugh…at that…" Liam pulled at his collar, shaking his head at Bucky, Tandy and Juliette.

"Does someone wanna tell me why y'all are standin' in my hotel room?…." Rayna frowned, clearly frustrated as she let her eyes sweep over the four people standing in front of them.

"Well…." Bucky started, looking fleetingly at Tandy.

"We thought this'd be the best way to talk to you." Tandy finished, clutching her hands together.

"About what?" Rayna asked curtly.

"About _this_…" Juliette replied, gesturing between Deacon and Rayna.

"I don't know what you're talkin' about." Rayna lied.

Liam, Bucky and Juliette all raised their eyebrows.

"Sweetie…" Tandy looked at her sceptically.

Rayna looked at her blankly and everyone stood quietly, letting the silence slowly fill the room as they stared at each other.

"Ok. All of us here, we know." Liam spoke frankly, looking Rayna in the eye.

Deacon and Rayna looked at each other, choosing not to reply.

Liam chuckled.

Juliette rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on!…We're not stupid."

"We're-" Rayna replied, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"We're-" Deacon tried.

"-Please." Liam held up a hand, putting a stop to both of their mumblings. "Can we skip the whole we're-not-together thing? It's kind of boring…." He looked at Juliette. "None of us are interested in hearin' about that..."

Bucky spoke slowly. "We…just want y'all to know we're all for it, we're all on your side is all."

"By hidin' out in my hotel room?" Rayna raised an eyebrow. "Y'all are crazy….like, crazy…"

"Ok." Tandy agreed, crossing her arms. "Maybe not the best idea….but it's not as if either of you were gonna be forthcomin' about what's goin' on here…so we decided to save y'all the hassle, take it into our own hands…and let you know that we know… "

"It's gettin' a little old." Juliette shrugged.

"I second that." Liam added.

Rayna blew heavily, strands of hair flying everywhere. "How long have y'all k-?"

"-Tour bus. St. Louis." Bucky smirked.

Deacon swore and Rayna covered her face with her hands as they thought back to that night on the tour bus.

Everyone laughed.

"Seriously?" Rayna cringed, peeking out from under her fingers. "Have y'all known that long?"

Bucky nodded, crossing his arms. "Sometimes I think you forget how well I know you…. That night in St. Louis, you were all over the place…smilin' and laughin' like you used to way back when you two were sneakin' around on the earlier tours…So yeah, I knew…"

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Rayna mumbled, sidestepping as she spoke. Deacon reached for her, steadying her quickly.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic." Tandy shook her head.

Liam and Juliette smirked.

Tandy grinned. "This isn't bad…It's a good thing. Now y'all can stop with the sneakin' around and you can get it out there…you know, make it official…"

Deacon and Rayna laughed.

"What's so funny?" Juliette frowned.

"Seriously?" Rayna sighed, supressing a laugh. "You wanna talk about Deacon and me? What about you guys?…Hmm?"

Bucky, Tandy, Liam and Juliette froze.

"Look at that?" Deacon grinned, looking down at Rayna. "Silence…"

"Tandy, everyone knows you and Bucky are _seein'_ each other, so why don't you make that official, hey?…" Rayna smirked. Tandy's face dropped. Liam and Juliette burst into laughter. Rayna pursed her lips and turned to them. "And you two…I don't even know how to word what it is that y'all have got goin' on with each other…but something's definitely goin' on…"

Liam and Juliette's eyes widened, making Rayna and Deacon smirked.

"Hey, hey, hey. Come on, now." Bucky piped up, smiling uneasily.

Satisfied, Rayna held her hands up and smiled. "Hey, y'all shouldn't have started somethin' if you can't handle me finishin' it…"

"Touché." Liam sighed, rocking on his feet as he looked at everyone.

"Are we done with this nonsense?" Rayna exhaled, smiling gleefully.

"I'm guessin' that's your way of askin' us to leave…" Liam pointed at the door, clearing his throat. Tandy, Juliette and Bucky quickly followed after him, unsure of whether they'd got their point across or not.

"You said it, not me…" Rayna cocked her head, watching them all walk past her.

"Try not to have too much fun up here." Liam smirked, flinching when Bucky shoved him. "…Don't stay up too late, either."

Rayna blushed, immediately cursing herself for getting that way. Deacon cleared his throat, avoiding eye contact.

"Not necessary." Tandy rolled her eyes.

"You're disgustin'…" Juliette shook her head.

"Not what you said la-" Liam started.

Juliette slapped his arm. "-Do you not know how to shut your mouth?"

"No…" Rayna drawled, cocking her head. "He doesn't."

"Funny." Liam spoke straight.

"We're not pushin'…but we meant what we said." Tandy called, standing at the front door with the other three. "Y'all should think about it, getttin' it all out there, makin' it official…It's time y'all stop avoidin' the fact that you're in a relationship…"

"She's lyin'…she is pushin' you-" Bucky shook his head.

"-Bye." Rayna drawled, taking a few steps towards them.

Bucky too that as their cue to leave and he waved Juliette and Tandy out the front door.

Liam went to follow but stopped suddenly, turning around to speak. He pointed at Deacon. "So, I take it you're not comin' with us?"

"Out." Bucky muttered, pushing Liam out the door. Liam swore, mumbling something inappropriate as he went. Bucky looked back at Deacon and Rayna, smiling uncomfortably. "Goodnight, y'all."

Deacon and Rayna waved awkwardly, both unsure of what to say. Bucky closed the front door and they were surrounded with silence. Deacon looked over at Rayna knowingly, a smile plastered across his face.

Rayna laughed, her eyes wide. "What the hell was that?"

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Ray?…." Deacon called, kicking his shoes off before settling on the bed. He smiled when Rayna walked through the bedroom door. She walked over to one of the many suitcases scattered around the room and began to rifle through it. Deacon made a face. "What are you doin'?"

"Hmmm?" Rayna replied, throwing garments onto the floor as she spoke.

"What are you doin'?"

"I'm lookin' for somethin' to sleep in…" Rayna replied, not looking up as she continued to attack her suitcase. "You'd think that with everythin' I've packed that I'd be able to find one damn pair of pyjamas."

Deacon smirked. "Who says you'll be needin' somethin' to sleep in?"

Rayna's eyes shot up, catching the wicked smile that crept onto his lips. She shook her head, crouching on the floor to unzip another suitcase.

"Don't tell me me that that surprise visit has killed the mood?"

Rayna ignored him.

"Come on, you can not tell me that you're not thinkin' about it too…" Deacon laughed. "I recall a certain someone wantin' me to finish what I started in an elevator…and I'm all for that right now…Darlin', I'm ready."

"Shush it."

"Ray, leave your damn suitcases…" Deacon grinned, watching her tear through a suitcase. He patted the bed. "Come on up here and talk with me…"

Rayna looked up and raised an eyebrow. "You and I both know that me comin' up there will not involve much talkin'…"

"Come on, I honestly just wanna talk…" he tried, patting the bed again. "for now, at least…"

Rayna turned her attention back to the suitcase and Deacon frowned. Impulsively, he jumped up and hurried around the side of the bed to her. He stooped down, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her away from the suitcase. She grumbled, mumbling her disapproval as she tried to fight his hold. He lost his footing, accidently sending them tumbling backwards onto the bed. Deacon tightened his grip around her waist, playfully pulling her into him as he buried his face in her neck. Squeals of laughter escaped Rayna's mouth. Deacon laughed against her neck and she squirmed, failing to free herself from his hands.

"Stop it…" Rayna giggled, bring her knees up between them in an attempt to create space. Deacon kissed her face over and over, his fingers lingering on her lower back, as they lay tangled on the bed. "Deacon…"

"Do you really want me to stop?" Deacon smirked, propping himself up to look at her when she rolled onto her back.

Reluctantly, Rayna nodded.

Deacon leant over her, his body slightly brushing hers. Rayna's breath hitched when he spoke. "Are you sure?"

Rayna shook her head deliberately and he smiled. Slowly, Deacon dropped his head and he kissed her tentatively. She returned the kiss, eagerly running her hands up and down his back. He shifted his weight, kissing her deeply this time. Rayna groaned, the weight of his body fully pressed against hers overwhelming her completely. The heat between them burned but Deacon felt something change; she kissed him, but she was distant. She touched him, but it didn't feel like her. Something wasn't right, something was wrong.

"Wait…" Deacon pulled away, suddenly concerned as he looked down at her. "Ray, what's wrong?"

"Nothin'." Rayna lied, breathing heavily as she looked up at him.

"No…" He shook his head, crawling off her to sit upright. "it's not nothin'…."

"It's nothin', really it's not." Rayna tried, clumsily sitting up and crossing her legs. "…I'm just…I've been thinkin' about stuff is all."

"Thinkin' about what?"

"I dunno…a lot of things."

"Like things involvin' what Tandy had to talk about tonight…?"

Rayna looked over at him, pausing briefly. "I guess so…that's part of it anyway."

"Ok…" Deacon spoke slowly. "Ray, if this is about what I was sayin' at the airport about needin' to talk and wantin' to kiss you or whatever I said…Look, we don't have to be figurin' it out yet-"

"-No, that's not it." Rayna interjected, shaking her head quickly. She reached out, brushing his chin with her fingers. "Babe, you have every right to want and need that…hell, I want it to."

Deacon smiled hesitantly, taking her free hand in his to kiss it gently.

"I want this…us, believe me, I do…but I'd be lyin' if I told you that this doesn't terrify me. I feel like…" Rayna struggled, looking up at the ceiling as she tried to find the right way to word her thoughts. "…the moment the whole world knows, they're gonna be watchin' and waitin' for it all to go wrong…I mean, we've got a whole history of everythin' turnin' out wrong…"

"Darlin', I'm not interested in diggin' up the past if you're not." Deacon whispered, meeting her gaze fully. "Let them say what they want…I'm only interested in what we have here and now, you and me…this, us…"

"You say that now…but what happens when the media catches a hold of everythin'…not just our history, but everythin'?…" Rayna swallowed, trying to keep her tone level. She knew she wouldn't have to say Maddie's name, he knew what she was talking about.

"I dunno, but you shouldn't be worryin' yourself with what might happen…Ray, what we have now…that's what matters…You, me, Maddie…even Daphne…here and now…" Deacon replied surely, reaching for her hands. "Ok?"

"Ok." Rayna nodded hesitantly, smiling softly as he looked her in the eyes.

"I love you." Deacon whispered, leaning towards her. Rayna closed the gap, bringing her hands to his face as she kissed him.

"I love you, too." She replied, pulling him closer to kiss him again. "I love you so much."

Deacon rested his forehead against hers, brushing her hair out of her eyes so he could see her face. Rayna laughed.

"What?" Deacon frowned, pulling back to look her up and down.

"I'm just thinkin' about how this is all gonna go down…" Rayna sighed, resting her hands on her head.

Deacon raised an eyebrow, leaning on his hands as he watched her and waited for an answer.

Rayna cocked her head. "…If we're gonna do this...First things first…I've gotta tell the girls…well, tell them again…"

They both laughed.

"Glad its you and not me…" Deacon chuckled, watching Rayna climb off the bed. She frowned, clearly confused. "Darlin', you were right about Daphne…She really does know how to make a conversation pretty damn awkward."

"I told you!" Rayna exclaimed, twirling her hair into a messy twist to the side of her head. "…and to think that you didn't believe me."

"Come on…" Deacon reasoned, matching her stare as she crossed her arms.

"Fine." Rayna huffed, playfully turning on her heel.

"What?" Deacon exclaimed, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed. "Where do you think you're goin'?!"

Rayna came to a stop, slowly turning around to face him. She smiled coyly, tilting her head as she leant against the doorframe. "You were right, you know…"

"I was?" Deacon asked, a confused expression spreading across his face.

"I don't think I'll be needin' anythin' to sleep in tonight…"

Deacon grinned, slowly edging off the bed. "Why's that?"

"Well, you see…" Rayna smirked, slowly unbuttoning her shirt. "You never really did get around to finishin' what you started in that damn elevator…"

"Oh, that…" Deacon nodded, swallowing hard as he watched her step out of her jeans.

"Mmhmm…_that_…" Rayna hummed, her eyes full of desire as she lingered in the doorway, smiling sassily.

"Darlin'…are you sure you want me to finish what I started?…" Deacon joked, licking his lips as his eyes travelled down her body. "I don't think you'll be able to handle it…"

"Well, when you decide if I can handle it or not…I'll be in the shower…" Rayna teased, walking backwards before disappearing. She knew he'd follow her. Deacon blew heavily. "….naked!"

* * *

**- FOR ALL OF THE GUEST REVIEWERS -**

**I want to dedicate this particular chapter to all the guest reviewers..I have no way of personally thanking you so this is the only other way I can think to do it..**


	40. Chapter 40

**NB: Here it is y'all…the final chapter…I actually did something quite crazy these last few days...I went back and read EVERY review...and all I can say is that I can't say enough to express my gratitude to each and every single person that has either taken the time to read and/or review BRAVE FACE. I appreciate you all. The song in this chapter is 'Afterall – William Fitzsimmons'...enjoy…**

* * *

**CHAPTER FORTY**

**Three Days Later…**

"Daphne, get your behind down these stairs!" Rayna called, impatiently tapping her foot as she looked at the empty staircase.

"But, I can't-" Daphne whinged.

"-Now!"

"Mom?!"

"Daphne!?" Rayna mimicked, crossing her arms as she closed her eyes.

"There a problem here?" Deacon laughed, suddenly appearing beside Rayna.

Rayna's eyes shot open and she looked at him, pointing upstairs. "Apparently, she can't find the right shoes."

"You're not gonna go up there and help her?" Deacon hesitated, immediately regretting speaking when Rayna glared at him.

"I tried…" Rayna breathed, blowing hair out of her eyes. "…but apparently, I quote, I don't know what the cool shoes are, I'm no help…"

"Ouch." Deacon made a face.

Rayna shot him a look. "Mmhmm."

"Found them!" Daphne chirped, bounding down the steps.

"That's great! Now, let's go…!" Rayna exclaimed sarcastically, walking towards the front door. Deacon promptly followed after her, ushering Daphne out the door.

"Wait!" Daphne screeched, bringing Deacon and Rayna to a sudden halt. "Where's Maddie?"

"In the car…" Rayna replied, closing the front door curtly. "where you should've been a good twenty minutes ago…"

"I needed-" Daphne started, hurrying after Deacon.

"-Yeah, yeah, yeah." Rayna mumbled.

They all laughed.

"Come on…" Deacon sighed, opening the door for Daphne. He caught Rayna staring and she smiled at him fleetingly as she hopped into the passenger seat. "…Let's go get some ice-cream!"

**- NASHVILLE -**

"But aren't you sad?" Maddie asked, absentmindedly twirling her spoon in her melting cup of ice cream.

"Why would I be sad?" Rayna cocked her head, shifting in her seat in the booth as she looked across at her two daughters.

"Well, you know…tomorrow night's like the last show of the whole tour…you have to be sad, right?"

Rayna shook her head, looking at Deacon and then at the girls. "Not really, I mean…I'm gonna miss the guys, the crew, the people, the show…And yeah, I'll miss singin' every night…but I'm gonna be glad to be home with my two favorite people…I miss you way too much when I'm out on the road…"

"Well, you didn't have to miss us…" Maddie shrugged, putting her spoon in her mouth. "You couldn't taken us on tour with you…"

"We could've sung back up…" Daphne sighed.

"We know all your songs…" Maddie chimed.

"And…we're your daughters…so, you pretty much should've hired us." Daphne nodded, licking her ice cream cone.

"Is that right?" Rayna laughed.

"That's right." Daphne grinned, brushing hair out of her face. "You know, you could let us sing back up tomorrow night at your show…"

Rayna shook her head. "Mmm Mmm…not happenin'…."

Both girls shot Rayna filthy looks.

"I think it's a good idea…" Maddie tried.

"Me too." Daphne nodded.

"No…" Rayna smirked, eating a mouthful of ice cream.

"Deacon, tell Mom it's a good idea!" Daphne piped up, turning her attention to him. "Please…"

"Yeah, tell her…" Maddie pleaded.

"Girls, I'm right here…I can hear you." Rayna rolled her eyes.

Deacon licked his lips, struggling to speak. "I-"

"-You think it's a good idea, right?" Daphne smiled, sitting up a little straighter as she spoke. "We sung good for Mom's birthday…"

Maddie nodded.

Deacon sighed, catching Rayna staring at him intensely. He changed his position, awkwardly moving in his seat. Right now, he had to choose his words carefully.

"Deacon?" Daphne tried.

Deacon exhaled, drumming his fingers on the table. "I think that…your Momma knows best…so y'all should listen to what she has to say…"

Both girls groaned.

"See…" Rayna smiled happily, subtly brushing her fingers over his upper leg under the table. Deacon's eyes widened, but he quickly hid his surprise. "You hear that, girls? Y'all should listen to what I have to say…"

Daphne scrunched up her face, pulling her ice cream away from her face as she looked at Deacon. "You only said that because you have to…"

"What?" Rayna frowned.

"Never mind." Maddie replied, shooting Daphne a look that told her to shut her mouth.

"Ok then…" Rayna sighed, noticing the sudden quiet between the girls as they both suddenly paid particular attention to their desserts.

Moments passed and silence hung around the table as the air began to change. Rayna felt Deacon staring at her and her heart pounded faster. She willed herself to look at him, slowly and surely. Their eyes met and they both smiled nervously, knowing that this was the moment they'd been waiting for. When they'd landed in Nashville two days ago, Teddy had picked the girls up from the airport. This meant that they'd been able to spend some alone time together in the lead up to the final shows for the tour. They hadn't done anything special; they ordered in and watched cable. Deacon hadn't pushed her about talking with the girls about their relationship; he hadn't even been the one to bring it up.

Early this morning, she'd wandered down to the kitchen in search of caffeine. He'd been sitting on her lounge room floor, lazily watching the fire, unaware of her presence. Rayna had watched him quietly, letting every feeling she felt for him run deep through her veins. She couldn't shake the overwhelming love and affection she was experiencing as she studied him. He loved her. She loved him. That's how it'd always been. Regardless of whether they'd been together or not, they'd always held onto that love with all of their might. Now, here they were, finally together, she and him. After everything, here they were together. With all of those thoughts and emotions spinning inside, Rayna had wandered over to Deacon and told him that she wanted to tell the girls about everything later that night. He'd been surprised, but not as surprised as he was when she asked him to talk to the girls with her. Initially, he'd been apprehensive, but in the same breath he felt honoured that Rayna would consider him in something as important as this. Amongst giggling, slow kisses and wandering hands, they'd agreed to take the girls out for ice cream and start from there.

Clumsily, Deacon felt around for Rayna's hand under the table when she looked at him knowingly. Both girls didn't seem to notice. They were both too caught in conversation and ice creaming eating. Rayna cleared her throat and Maddie stopped mid sentence, turning to face Rayna and Deacon.

"Hey, hi." Rayna smiled nervously, unconsciously squeezing Deacon's hand tighter under the table as she moved around in her seat. The girls both looked at her curiously. Deacon closed his fingers around hers, sending a calm through her body as she forced her mouth to form words. "I was wonderin' if maybe I…if we could talk with y'all for a quick second…?"

Maddie raised an eyebrow, slowly pushing her ice cream cup away from her. "Sure…"

Daphne nodded, lazily licking her ice cream.

"Ok, well first…." Rayna tried, smiling at her daughters as she mustered every warm and loving emotion. "I know these last few months have been real confusin' for you both…Some people have said real nasty things, especially in the newspapers and on the TV…I know you've both been hurtin' and things haven't been easy...I know. I'm so sorry for that, I am…You have both been so strong, and carin'….and girls, I'm so proud of you…"

Deacon watched on as Maddie and Daphne nodded, both smiling bravely as they recalled the last few months; their parents divorce, the truth of Maddie's paternity, the accident, the media, everything.

Rayna sighed. "And if I'm honest…it hasn't been easy for me either, these last few months have been yucky…But no matter what, you need to know how much I love you…and your Father, he loves you both so, so much. You both need to always know that…"

"We love you too, Mom." Maddie spoke weakly, struggling to keep the tears from falling. Rayna looked at her lovingly. Maddie's sensitivity towards things that mattered was one of the traits she possessed that Rayna loved most. She loved it because it reminded her of Deacon.

"Like, lots." Daphne grinned, reaching across the table to hold Rayna's hand.

"I love you like, lots, too." Rayna laughed, letting go of Deacon's hand to reach out for Maddie's hand.

They all laughed.

"Now…" Rayna exhaled, wiping a tear away as she shook her body to shake the mood.

Both girls giggled.

"There's actually somethin' else I wanna talk with you about…"

Maddie and Daphne looked at each other, smiling cheekily before turning their attention back to Rayna.

"Like, about Deacon?" Daphne cocked her head, pointing her finger at him.

Rayna and Deacon's eyes widened, but they didn't deny her question. Instead, Rayna grabbed Deacon's hand and boldly set their intertwined fingers on the table for the girls to see.

"Well, I guess there's no-" Rayna mumbled.

"-I was right?!" Daphne screeched, tapping the table as she looked at Maddie and then at Deacon. "Deacon, I knew you were Mom's boyfriend…I told you!"

"So, you're dating?" Maddie asked sheepishly.

"Boyfriend and girlfriend?" Daphne cooed.

Deacon and Rayna looked at each other and she nodded at him when he gave her a look that asked for permission to speak.

"Well, I'd very much like to be datin' your Momma…I'd like to be her _boyfriend_…" Deacon smiled, squeezing Rayna's hand lightly when she laughed at the mention of the word boyfriend. "…But I thought I'd ask the two most important people in her life what they thought about it first."

"I like you Deacon, I like you lots…" Daphne hummed, leaning her elbows on the table. She grinned. "So, yeah…you can be Mom's boyfriend…"

"Thanks for likin' me…" Deacon joked, leaning into Rayna as he smiled at Daphne.

Deacon and Rayna both turned to Maddie and held their breaths.

"It's about time!" Maddie sighed, suddenly smiling giddily at Deacon and Rayna. "You both are so stubborn."

"But, we already knew anyway." Daphne shook her head, bopping her head as she hummed.

"You knew?" Rayna raised an eyebrow.

"Well, duh…you always give us ice cream when you wanna tell us somethin' big…." Daphne grinned.

"No, I don't." Rayna frowned.

"Yes, you do." Maddie shook her head.

"No."

"Mmhmm, Mom…you do." Daphne nodded, twirling her hair in her fingers. "…and you kissed Deacon on stage on your birthday…and girlfriends kiss boyfriends-"

"-You don't have to be dating someone to kiss them." Maddie scrunched up her face as she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, you do!" Rayna squeaked, quickly calming her tone as both of the girl's eyes darted in her direction. "Y'all shouldn't be goin' round just kissin' anyone, you only kiss a boy you're datin', you hear?"

"You said we couldn't date till we're 30 anyway…" Daphne sighed.

Maddie's mouth dropped open. "30?!"

"You heard right." Rayna smirked, edging closer to Deacon as she spoke.

"Deacon?" Maddie groaned, hoping he'd help her out.

"Darlin', I'm gonna have to side with your Momma again…" Deacon chuckled. "There ain't no way either of you are datin' anyone anytime soon."

"But you're datin'…" Daphne complained.

"Are we?" Rayna grinned, looking up at Deacon.

"Hang on one moment…" Deacon looked at the girls, scratching his chin as he spoke. "I never did get a definitive answer here…Am I allowed to ask your Momma if she would like to be my girlfriend?"

Both girls giggled and nodded.

Deacon cleared his throat, putting on his most proper voice as he turned to look Rayna in the eyes. She stared back at him affectionately, her cheeks flushing when he smiled at her. "Rayna Jaymes…I was wonderin'…you see, I like you a lot…Well, I love you a lot…and I was wonderin' if you'd like to be my girlfriend?"

"Oh my gosh…" Maddie whispered, gripping her hands together as she watched them.

"So cute…" Daphne giggled.

"Yes." Rayna grinned, taking his hands in hers. "I mean, yes…I would love to be your girlfriend…"

Maddie and Daphne clapped, cries of excitement flowing from their side of the table to Deacon and Rayna's. They didn't seem to notice, their eyes were locked on each other. He looked at her lips and she smiled, quickly leaning into him when he reached for her. Deacon kissed her quickly on the lips, pulling back to meet her gaze as she scrunched up her face. They both laughed.

"Finally." she sighed, her face inches from his.

"Finally." he mimicked her, grinning as he spoke.

"So…If you're Mom's boyfriend…" Daphne frowned. "That means you're not Uncle Deacon anymore, doesn't it? What are we supposed to call you now?"

**- NASHVILLE - **

"Not now!" Rayna called impatiently, struggling to do the zip of her dress up as she stood in front of the mirror in her dressing room.

Hesitantly, Deacon opened the door anyway, slowly stepping inside as he spoke. "Only me."

Rayna's face lit up as he eyes met his in the mirror. "Hi…"

"Hi." He grinned, looking around the room as he walked towards her.

Rayna swore, mumbling incoherently about her dress.

"Ray, are you ok?" Deacon asked, stepping up behind her. He ran his hands up and down her arms.

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

Rayna shot him a look and she crossed her arms.

"Not what I meant." Deacon pursed his lips together, struggling not to laugh when Rayna glared at him. "You are the finest look-"

"-Smooth." Rayna scoffed, laughing off his attempt to cover his mistake.

"You know what I mean…you seem on edge is all." He continued, tentatively wrapping his arms around her as they both swayed, looking in the mirror at each other.

"Well, yeah…" Rayna shrugged, leaning back into him. "It's the last show, you know? The last one…"

"Mmhmm…"

"I dunno…I feel a little lost now…As of tomorrow…no more tour, no shows, no more travellin', no more long nights, no more band and crew, no more Juliette, well that might not be so bad actually…Mmmm no Juliette." Rayna smirked, feeling Deacon laugh against her neck.

"She ain't that bad." Deacon shook his head.

"Yeah, she's alright…I guess…" Rayna nodded, looking up at him. "Although, for the life of me….I still do not understand what boys have to do with buses…like seriously? Why write somethin' like that?"

"Let it go, Ray…" Deacon laughed.

"Of course, you're tellin' me to shush it…you are her band leader…"

"Yeah, but I'm yours…so…" Deacon countered, wrapping her tighter in his arms as he kissed her on the cheek.

Rayna grinned. "…So…"

"The girls took it well…you know, us and all." Deacon spoke unthinkingly, looking up at the ceiling.

"They did, didn't they?"

"I must say…" He laughed, kissing her on the cheek again as he whispered against her skin. "I did like how it felt kissin' you in the booth of an ice cream shop…"

Rayna crinkled her nose, leaning in to his kisses. "It did feel good."

"So…" he hummed, kissing her again. "Does this mean that we won't be doin' things so privately anymore?"

"Well, babe…" Rayna sighed. "I guess that's what this means…yeah."

"Ok, so what now?"

"I guess we wait for the right time…"

"The right time?" Deacon asked, looking at her curiously. He didn't really know what that meant.

"The right time." Rayna nodded, stepping away from Deacon and gesturing to him to zip her dress up. He complied, looking at her in the mirror.

"What does that even mean?"

"Babe, I dunno…" Rayna smiled lazily, turning to face him. "Let's just get this show over…and then we'll figure the best way to go about makin' this…us, official…ok?"

"Ok." He nodded, picking her up and kissing her slow. Suddenly, Rayna started laughed, quickly killing the mood. Deacon frowned. "What?"

"Maybe we should get Maddie to go on that…um...Twitter...Announce our relationship on Twitter…I can see it now, it'd say somethin' like…_Mom's got a boyfriend…he asked her out over ice cream_…_His name is Deacon…_ If we wanted to go for the whole shock value thing, that'd be the way to do it…"

Deacon shook his head, laughing at the idea of Rayna letting Maddie take to social networking to announce their relationship. He kissed her forehead. "Somehow, I don't think that's gonna happen…"

Rayna nodded, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Somehow, I think you're right…I'm just throwin' ideas around..."

"Well, social events are a good start, you know…" Deacon suggested. "That's what normal people tend to do."

"Well, we're not exactly normal, are we-?"

Someone knocked on Rayna's dressing room door. "-You're on in 5 Ms Jaymes."

"Thank you!" Rayna called, disentangling herself from Deacon as she smiled at him. She ran over to the mirror and flipped her hair out of her eyes, practicing her best smile, as she looked herself over in the mirror. Rayna turned around to find Deacon staring and she blushed. "Stop your lookin'…"

"Can't help it." Deacon replied, rocking back and forth on his feet. "Ray, you look incredible…"

"You don't look so bad yourself."

"You're beautiful." He smiled, pulling her into his arms to kiss her softly.

Rayna moaned against his mouth, quickly pulling away to look at the clock on the wall. "Babe, I've gotta go…like, now..."

"You'll do great tonight…you're great." Deacon whispered, brushing his fingers across her cheek.

"So are you." She replied, kissing him before hastily pulling away to hurry towards the door. "I'll see you out there."

Rayna disappeared, the screaming of the arena flooding into the dressing room when she left the dressing room door open. Deacon slowly began to make his way out, lazily following after her. His eye caught sight of something on the bench under a bag of make up. He hesitated, but walked over to take a closer look. It was Rayna's leather bound song-writing book. She took it everywhere with her. Carefully, he opened the front cover of the book and jumped as the pages made a crinkling sound. He turned the pages, scanning the messy scrawl, remembering old songs she'd written and discovering new ones. Deacon flipped to the back of the book and pulled at the loose-leaf paper. He unfolded a piece of paper and began to read it, emotion completely over roaring him. He swallowed hard, his heart beating fast. Before he could think twice, he was storming out of the dressing room, heading straight for the stage.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Thank you!…Nashville, y'all are really so amazin'!" Rayna cried, waving out to the arena. "I'm not even lyin' right now, I love y'all so much!"

Cheering echoed around the arena and onto the stage.

Rayna looked at Liam and then out to the arena. "Ok, so we're gonna sing y'all one more song…yes?"

She was greeted with a sea of responses. Deacon paid no attention to any of them. Nervously, he stood side of stage. His feet glued in place, and his eyes trained on Rayna. He'd been fighting with his common sense for the last 34 minutes. Should he? Shouldn't he? He'd talk himself out of it, and then within seconds he'd talk himself back into it again. Deacon was sure that Juliette had even wandered past at one point and asked what the hell he was doing. He'd simply ignored her. His head was too full for aimless conversation. It was full of thoughts; thoughts of Rayna, them, the future, everything.

These last few months had absolutely destroyed everything he thought they were, it had broken pieces in them he didn't know could be broken. Initially, this whole mess had wrecked him and he knew it had ruined her. But it showed him that amongst it all, he still loved her. He loved her more now than he did before. She was the only one he wanted, she was who he wanted to choose. Amongst their hurt, he didn't want to work at it with anyone else, he didn't want anyone else. He had no idea what the future was going to hold when their relationship was out in the open. He had no idea at all. What he did know was that he wanted her, he wanted this and he wanted everyone to know he felt that way too.

Pulling himself from his own reveries, Deacon mustered every piece of courage he could as he shook out his nerves. He blew heavily, counting to ten in his head. Rayna began to sing the chorus of Buried Under and Deacon willed himself to move. Slowly, but surely, he began to walk. With each step, he picked up his pace, quickly closing the gap between them as he walked. A number of the guys from the band looked at Deacon strangely, still playing the music as he walked. Rayna was on the far side of the stage, singing out to the arena. Screams from the audience brought Rayna's attention back to centre stage. She turned on her heel, stopping mid turn when she saw Deacon charging towards her. He had a look in his eye. A look she knew all too well. Before a single word could escape her lips, Deacon had pulled her into his arms. He kissed her strong, he kissed her deliberately. What's more, she kissed him back. The band came to a disjointed stop before promptly coming together to make a colossal sound in appreciation of what was unfolding before them. The shock of his lips against hers and the realisation that he'd kissed her in front of an arena of people absolutely knocked the wind out of her. Rayna wanted to let go of him but she couldn't. She was too scared that he knees would give way. Reluctantly, Deacon pulled away and smiled down at her. Rayna's face was flushed. She was speechless. It was then that they both noticed the overwhelming sound that was rumbling around them; screaming, cheering, applause, wolf whistles, more screaming. They both looked out into the arena and laughed before Rayna set her eyes on him, questioning and waiting.

"Hi." He whispered.

"Hi." She hummed, flipping hair out of her face as she tried to steady her breathing. She smiled coyly. "Ice cream shops not enough anymore?"

"Well, you wanted shock value…so…" Deacon countered, taking her microphone out of her hands.

Rayna's eyes widened as he lifted the microphone to his mouth.

"Hey! How y'all doin'? Good?" Deacon spoke up, squinting as he looked out into the arena. Screams and mumbled replies echoed. "I'm sorry about this…I just had to come on out here and settle somethin' with Rayna…I hope y'all don't mind…"

The arena applauded and cheered, sending shivers down Rayna's spine as she watched Deacon curiously.

Deacon began walking across the stage. "You see, we always talk about 'right times'…When's the right time to do this? When's the right time to do that?…But I got to thinkin'…What if the right time is starin' us all in the face and we just have to bite the bullet and go…Hey, now's the right time…"

Rayna smiled, recalling their conversation in the dressing room. Right now, he wasn't talking to the arena. He was talking to her. She laughed, hiding her mouth in her hands as she watched him.

"Well, I had one of those right time moments tonight…" Deacon continued, looking side of stage to a stagehand holding his Gibson. The stagehand walked out onto the stage and took the microphone off Deacon while he pulled the guitar strap over his head. Another stagehand walked another microphone stand out to centre stage, promptly returning Rayna's microphone to her before leaving the stage. Deacon walked over to his microphone stand. "…I don't know if any of you are aware of this…but Rayna and I, we used to write songs together…"

"We did?" Rayna cocked her head, pulling a face as she looked out into the arena.

Everyone laughed.

"We did." Deacon nodded, tuning his guitar as we spoke. "…and well…there was this one song we wrote, what? 14 years ago…"

Rayna frowned, unsure of where he was going with this.

"…It was a song that we both wrote when we were both strugglin' with some real personal things…And let me tell you, when I saw it earlier tonight…I realised that to this day, this song pretty much sums up everythin' that I feel for this woman standin' beside me…"

Cheering thundered onto the stage. Rayna stepped back, taken by surprise by the sudden merriment.

"So…everyone." Deacon sighed, turning to Rayna. "Rayna…I wanna sing it to you tonight…if that's alright with you?"

Open mouthed, Rayna nodded. Deacon stepped back from the microphone, leaning over to her. She was sure he whispered something along the lines of asking her to join him if she remembered how the song went. Rayna wasn't sure though, she was still in shock. Deacon turned to his guitar, tentatively strumming the opening of the song. Rayna's breath caught in her throat and she swallowed when she recognized what song it was. His eyes were soft and full of love, love for her. She smiled gratefully, returning his gaze.

He stepped up to the microphone, closing his eyes to concentrate on the lyrics. Deacon sang tenderly, each word carrying emotion. "I still love you…after all…I still love you…after all…I still want you…after all…I still want you…after all."

Rayna's bottom lip trembled, her eyes on his as he turned to look at her, letting her know that his every word was sung just for her. The way he was looking at her was enough to tell her that he meant what he was singing.

"For better or worse…after all." Deacon sang, wavering slightly when he heard Rayna's voice echo through the speakers as she joined him with a harmony on the last lyric, the same harmony she used to sing years ago. "Sickness and health…after all…Till death do us part…after all."

Deacon turned his body, his eyes meeting hers as he sang. "Please don't leave me."

"After all." Rayna hummed, stepping towards him. "I still love you…after all."

"I still want you..after all." Deacon sang, hoping that she heard that he meant it in his voice. She took another step towards him, now they stood inches apart. "I still need you…after all."

They both looked at each other, love and affection in their eyes as they paused before singing the last line together. "After all."

Not taking his eyes off Rayna, Deacon played a spontaneous riff that proceeded to be an outro to the song. His fingers played the final notes and he came to a stop, smiling knowingly at Rayna when she held her hand out to him. He took it in his, squeezing it tightly.

Applause boomed through the arena, nearly toppling the pair over as the took it all in. Rayna turned around to see Liam cheering, guitar in the air as he danced on the spot. She turned to her left, catching Tandy's eye as she stood with the girl's and Bucky side of stage. Tandy was holding her thumbs up and mumbling something she couldn't quite make out. Rayna rolled her eyes and then found herself looking Juliette straight in the face. Juliette nodded her approval, clapping in Deacon's direction as she smiled. Deacon squeezed Rayna's hand and she turned her attention back to him as he stepped up to his microphone.

"Well…" Deacon smiled. "Y'all sure are kind Nashville…I hope I didn't ruin your evenin'…We're gonna get off of this stage now…But I hear that if y'all scream loud enough…there's supposed to be some kind of encore…so stick around, ok?!…Thank you, and goodnight!"

"Thank you!" Rayna nodded, waving as she let Deacon lead her off the stage. As they walked off the stage, Rayna couldn't shake the smile hanging on her face. When Deacon turned around to look at her, she knew he felt the same too.

**- NASHVILLE -**

"Stop it…" Deacon laughed, watching Rayna look out the window of the limousine. Her knees were shaking, her hands were shaking, everything was shaking. "…Ray, stop…"

"I can't." She snapped, tugging at her dress.

"What?" Deacon grinned, edging over to her when he noticed her irritability. "You're not mad about tonight, are you?"

"Hey?!" Rayna frowned, finally meeting his gaze. "No, of course not."

"You sure?" Deacon raised his eyebrows.

"Babe, I'm sure."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm…" Rayna nodded, brushing her fingers across his chin as she leant in to kiss him. "Not mad in the slightest, what you did just now…that was the most wonderful, sweetest thing…and I'm so grateful, really…even if you hijacked my final song."

Deacon laughed. "Well, there was that…yes."

"I'm just nervous."

"Nervous?" Deacon spoke quietly.

"Yeah, about…." Rayna explained, pointing aimlessly. "the wrap party…and you know, you and me…makin' this, us public knowledge."

"Darlin', I'm pretty sure we made _this_." Deacon smirked, gesturing between them. "…public knowledge when I kissed you on stage at the very last show of one of the biggest tours of the year…"

"Say, what?"

"Maddie said it's all over Twitter…" Deacon laughed, watching Rayna cover her face with her hands as she laughed.

"Well….there you go…we made it to Twitter after all…" Rayna mumbled.

"We're somethin' else…"

"We definitely are."

"Ray, it's gonna be ok." Deacon tried, taking her hand in his. "Everything will be fine…and if you feel like you can't do it…Just look at me…Look at me, and I promise everything will be ok…"

Rayna nodded, feeling the limousine come to a stop. Her stomach fell through the floor.

"At me…" Deacon reiterated, looking out the window and then at her. "Just look at me."

"Deacon." Rayna whispered, swallowing hard. "How are you?…How are you not fallin' apart right now?"

"Because I have you…" Deacon replied surely, brushing his fingers across her cheek. "Ray, I'm not fallin' apart because I have you…Hell, you're braver than I am…You've always been the stronger one of us…I remember the day I first met you and you walked up to me with this look. It was a look that I'll never be able to shake, you were smiling, but it was more than that…It was bold, you were strong, sure and certain…You were brave…and you, Ray you stole every part of me with that moment, with that face…you've had me ever since."

Rayna wiped a tear away from her eyes, hating herself for becoming a blubbering mess. Deacon pulled her into a loving embrace and kissed on the top of her head. "Don't cry...it's all gonna be fine...trust me."

He looked up at the roof of the car, still holding her as he spoke. "I know that there are cameras and reporters out there waitin' for this all to go wrong…but they can go jump…because all that matters is you, me…and what we have now…"

"I love you." Rayna smiled, breathing easier as she leant in to kiss him quickly.

"I love you, too."

Deacon blew heavily, getting rid of his nerves as he brushed a loose strand of hair out of Rayna's eyes. "You ready?"

"Mmhmm." Rayna nodded nervously.

"Take my hand…" Deacon whispered, holding his hand out to her. Timidly, she intertwined her fingers with his.

Deacon opened the car door and they were immediately bombarded with the flashes of cameras and the calling of names and demands from every which direction.

Before setting his feet on the concrete he looked at her warmly, his words soft. "Darlin', put your brave face on…"

Rayna inhaled, fixing a smile on her face as she braced herself for what was to come. Deacon helped her out of the car, clutching her hand tightly as they stepped onto the red carpet. Flashes went off in all directions, initially stunning the pair as they tried to find their bearings. Deacon smiled down at Rayna, pulling her into his side to steady her as they walked. They both heard their names being screamed from all directions, and they found it hard to focus on one. Instead, they walked slowly, smiling for cameras, never letting go of each other. One reporter to their right caught their attention and Deacon brought them to a stop in front of him.

"Congratulations on the tour! You must be so, so proud of all you've accomplished."

"Thank you." Rayna smiled, still clinging to Deacon tightly.

"And you look amazing!" The reporter praised Rayna.

"So do you!" Rayna nodded.

"Ok, so…" the reporter asked, looking from Rayna and Deacon into the camera behind him. "Something apparently happened at your show tonight…it's gone viral on T-"

"-Twitter." Rayna finished, hiding her smirk.

"Exactly." The reporter smiled. "So, I guess you already know what I'm gonna ask."

"Maybe." Deacon laughed.

"Ok, set us straight…Are the rumours true? Are you guys really together now? Is this like, a done deal? Tell us, set the record straight..." The reporter asked apprehensively, looking from the camera to them.

Deacon and Rayna both inhaled, looking at each other nervously before speaking in unison. "Yes."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

**DEDICATED TO:**

******-PHOEBE **  
(My friend and giver of all NASHVILLE advice..Without her, this story WOULDN'T have happened...)  
& FOR  
- MoonlightGardenias, Soaper410, BeckyPo, Agus87, Shiny Jewel, Funloverrr, Natbenson -  
(For being lovers of this story, correctors and for always helping me stay true to the characters and the story from beginning to end)

**THIS IS THE END. It has been a mammoth of a journey...I cannot believe it...When I started writing this, it was never going to be such a lengthy piece, nevertheless, here we are...40 chapters later...I cannot thank every reader and reviewer enough for the time you took to read this story...Actually, I blame you all for the story's length...It was because of your encouragement, comments, insights and kind words that the story just grew to be what you see today haha. I always knew how this story would end, I guess I just had to figure how to fill the in between before we got there...so thank you for being a part of that. Also a huge thank you to NASHVILLEABC and it's characters DEACON and RAYNA...because without them, obviously this story wouldn't have happened either...**

**So, now...I'm yet to think about writing another story YET... I think I shall be drinking lots of tea while I brood over the impending doom that seems to be waiting for Deacon and Rayna in season 2...and I'll also be trying to get over the fact that I just singlehandedly wrote a 40 chapter story...For readers, the LITTLE VOICE follow up is still sitting unwritten in my mind...and there are also a few other things that i might consider, I don't know...**

**ANYWAY, this is where I ask you I suppose...What do y'all feel like reading if I was to brave a new story? PLEASE please KEEP COMMENTS/LOVES/HATES/HOPES/FAVORITE MOMENTS/FAVORITE LINES/PMS/IDEAS/THOUGHTS/ANYTHING REALLY and WHATEVER ELSE coming...I appreciate all your reviews...**

**Thank you all again. Really. Thank you. **

**- J**


	41. Encore

**THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR REVIEWS AND KINDS WORDS, I SO APPRECIATE YOU ALL. This little instalment was not at all planned, it was purely written to say thank you. Call it what you will - an extra chapter, an epilogue...I'm looking at it more like an encore. **

* * *

**ENCORE **

**Eight Months Later…**

Daphne raised an eyebrow and shook her head in disgust. "Seriously? That's way too easy."

"If it's so easy, spell it for me."

"H..O..U..S..E." Daphne rolled her eyes and pretended to yawn. "I'm in forth grade, not preschool."

Deacon's eyes widened and he took a sip of coffee.

"Do I have to do this?" Daphne complained, pushing her homework book away. "It's so boring-"

"-Mmhmm." Deacon nodded, pulling the book back. "I'd really like it if your Momma didn't kill the both of us."

"Come on, it's Friday afternoon and we've been moving house _all_ week." Daphne groaned. "I'm _so _tired."

"I fell for that one yesterday."

Daphne laughed. "I really was tired."

"Alright then, why don't you try this one?" Deacon matched her grin as he put down the piece of paper on the table. "What does C..H..E..E..K..Y..spell?"

Daphne scrunched her nose up and looked at the ceiling, mumbling quietly. "C..H..E..E."

Deacon smirked.

"Hey-!" Daphne exclaimed, hastily thumping his arm.

"-Babe…" Rayna called, absentmindedly walking into the kitchen as her eyes wandered around the room. "Do you know which box I packed those salad bowls in? The fancy ones…?"

Daphne and Deacon froze. Rayna begin to rifle through a cardboard box. Deacon pointed at Daphne's homework book and gave her a pointed look. Daphne nodded and pretended to busy herself.

"Salad bowls?" Deacon frowned.

Rayna straightened her posture, looking at him blankly as she blew a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. "You know, a bowl that you put salad in…"

"I know what a salad bowl is…I'm just not quite sure why _you're _lookin' for one." Deacon laughed, making a face at Daphne when she giggled.

Rayna raised an eyebrow.

"Darlin', I told you that I'd take care of dinner." Deacon smiled. "Just as soon as we're done here…"

"Unpackin' is doin' my head in…" Rayna sighed, hands on head as she spun around. "…If I don't stop for a second and do somethin' else…I think I might just start throwin' cardboard boxes out onto the street."

Deacon laughed. "See, that attitude there…That's exactly why you don't need to be doin' any cookin'….Ray, I've got it covered."

"He's just saying that because we don't want people to get food poisoning tonight." Daphne mumbled, smiling sweetly at Rayna.

"Hilarious." Rayna scoffed, kicking a cardboard box out of the way to get to another box sitting against a wall. "Y'all are so funny…."

"Found them!" Maddie beamed, holding two glass bowls in her hands as she walked into the room.

"Where were they?!" Rayna exclaimed.

"A box in the hall." Maddie shrugged.

"Ok good." Rayna nodded, holding her hands out. "Here, I'll take them."

"Uh-uh." Deacon shook his head, stepping between them to take the bowls out of Maddie's hands. Deacon turned to look at Rayna and smiled when she glared at him. "Ray, I said I got it covered."

"Deacon-" Rayna groaned, crossing her arms.

"-Do I still have to do this?" Daphne cocked her head and smiled, hoping to take advantage of the situation.

Deacon and Rayna smiled, both looking at the little girl as they spoke in unison. "No…"

Daphne threw her hands up in the air in triumph. Maddie rolled her eyes.

"But you do have to go set the table out back before you go runnin' off." Deacon smirked.

Daphne scoffed. "What about Maddie?!"

"I'm helpin' with dinner so…." Maddie smiled at Deacon, leaning against the counter.

"Well, I wanna-"

Rayna interjected. "You could always go finish unpackin'…I saw your room just now…Not pretty Daphne Ray, not pretty."

"This so isn't fair." Daphne huffed, jumping off the stool.

"Can you just go and help your…" Rayna mumbled, using her hands to finish the sentence as she looked at Maddie. Maddie nodded and Deacon laughed, bringing Rayna's attention back to him. "What?"

"Well…" He grinned, putting the bowls on the counter.

Rayna grimaced, trying to read his expression. "Well?"

"…I was thinkin' about-" Deacon licked his lips, pulling her into his arms as he glanced at the girls walking out of the room.

"-Mm-Mm, no." Rayna giggled, struggling to free herself from his hold. Her protesting only encouraged him. Deacon buried his face in her hair and tightened his grip around her waist as he whispered low. Rayna rolled her eyes and reluctantly leant into him when he kissed her. The kiss quickly deepened, but Rayna pulled away and laughed giddily. "Babe, I was serious…No."

"Hey, you were the one who wanted to do somethin' else besides unpackin'…" Deacon shrugged, kissing her lightly. "I was just givin' you _options_ is all…"

"As temptin' as that _option_ of yours is, it ain't happenin' now... People are gonna start arrivin' in like two hours." Rayna sighed, rocking gently with him, as they stood wrapped in one another's arms. "And our house looks like a bomb's hit it, quite literally."

Deacon looked down at her affectionately and grinned. "Our house…"

"Yes, our house." Rayna smiled coyly, reading the subtext in his words.

Deacon leant down and kissed her softly. Rayna smiled, kissing him again when whispered that he loved her.

"Ok, gross." Maddie groaned, holding her hands up to block them out of her vision as she walked into the kitchen with her sister.

Daphne made kissing noises with her lips and grinned. Rayna jumped, hastily trying to put distance between herself and Deacon. He turned and caught her hips, pulling her back against his body. Rayna squealed. He kissed her cheek and laughed when she squirmed. Daphne and Maddie giggled.

"You ain't gettin' away that easy." Deacon smirked, hugging her closely. "I might just wanna kiss-"

"-Yeah, yeah, yeah." Rayna scoffed, turning her head to kiss him quickly before trying to untangle herself from him.

"When you're done…" Maddie piped up. Deacon and Rayna stopped mid motion and looked at her as she opened the refrigerator. "We have a dinner to prepare so…"

"Right." Deacon nodded, clearing his throat as he straightened up.

Rayna hid a smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "And while y'all do that…I'm takin' a shower."

**-NASHVILLE-**

Tandy frowned. "Rayna, don't tell me y'all are considerin' goin' out on tour again?"

"What? No." Rayna shook her head, taking a seat opposite her at the table. "Not now."

"I agree. No tour." Bucky nodded hastily. "I'm still recoverin'."

"You're recoverin'?" Rayna scoffed, taking a spoonful of potato salad off of Deacon's plate. "Oh, please. You just don't wanna be out on the road because you don't wanna be away from my sister."

Everyone laughed.

"Listen, right now I'm just happy that my records out and people are likin' what they're hearin'...And you know, I'm, we're..." Rayna explained, gesturing to Deacon. "still unpackin', and tryin' to settle the girls into a new house, a new routine…new everythin'."

"You mean like havin' me around…" Deacon shrugged.

Rayna smiled at him. "Well, there's that, yeah. But look Tand…I don't wanna be freakin' them out. Hell, I don't wanna be freakin' us out with any added tour pressure."

Deacon nodded, offering a plate of sausages to Bucky before turning to hear Maddie squeal in terror. Everyone laughed. Along with her book, Maddie was drenched from head to toe. Daphne was happily treading water a few feet away from Maddie in the pool. Scarlett hopped out of the pool to hand Maddie a towel, and Gunnar swam over to Daphne and scooped the giggling girl up into his arms.

"Mom!" Maddie shrieked. "Did you-?!"

"-Hon', you were practically askin' your sister to do that when you sat down to read by the side of the pool." Rayna interjected, hiding her smile as she talked over her eldest.

"Yeah." Daphne giggled.

"Hey, _hey_!" Rayna exclaimed, running a hand through her hair. "Come on, y'all should be gettin' out anyway…Dinner's gettin' cold."

Reluctantly, the four joined them around the table, taking plates and piling them with food. Everyone easily slipped into conversation and the table became a buzz of catching up and nonsense rambling. Thirty minutes in, Rayna checked her cell phone and frowned.

"Where the hell are they?" Rayna mumbled.

"Darlin', are you really askin' that about those two?" Deacon hummed, bumping her shoulder playfully with his as he put a forkful of food in his mouth. "Like, really?"

"I, just-" Rayna chuckled.

The doorbell rang out three times, breaking the conversation around the table. Rayna relaxed in her seat.

"I'll get it!" Daphne piped up, hastily pushing back her chair.

"No, I've got it." Maddie snapped.

"Slow down!" Rayna called, watching both girls run up the steps. She grimaced. "Girls, no runnin' on the tiles! Y'all are gonna break some-"

"-Ray, relax." Deacon chuckled, taking her free hand in his. She rolled her eyes and laughed. Deacon kissed her hand.

"It's nice to see that she actually listens to someone." Tandy smirked, leaning back in her chair.

Gunnar and Scarlett stifled laughs.

"Oh, shush it." Rayna scoffed, taking a sip of her drink.

"Just statin' the obvious."

"Ladies, please." Bucky shushed playfully. "This is meant to be a civilised dinner."

Tandy shot him a mischievous look before they all noticed Liam and Juliette walk through the back doors.

"Hey y'all!" Rayna greeted, leaning on the table as the pair walked hand in hand down the steps with the girls. "So nice of you to join us."

"Hey!" Juliette exclaimed, sitting on the arm of Liam's chair after he sat down. "This is the first time we've both been in a state with the same zip code this month…You guys are lucky we're even here."

"Liam is Juliette's boyfriend, Mom." Daphne said matter-of-factly.

"Shut up." Maddie hissed, glaring at her sister.

"That's right, y'all are like datin' now." Deacon grinned. "Who would've thought…"

"Damn straight." Liam smirked, making a face at Rayna.

"That's a dollar!" Daphne shrieked.

Everyone laughed.

Rayna scoffed. "I almost forgot…Didn't we had to organize _our_ housewarmin' dinner around _your_ schedules?"

"You wouldn't have a housewarming dinner without us." Liam grinned. "Just saying."

"Is that a joke?" Deacon raised an eyebrow.

Rayna laughed. "Just because y'all think you got Deacon and I back-"

"-We did." Liam shrugged, taking a bite out of a bread roll as he looked at Daphne and Maddie. "Didn't we, girls?"

"It was a group effort." Juliette added, loosely gesturing around the table.

"I disagree." Rayna replied, unthinkingly reaching for Deacon's hand.

"So do I." Deacon nodded.

"Well…" Juliette hummed.

"Wine? Anyone?" Tandy smiled, holding her glass up. "No? Ok."

Everyone laughed.

"You know, this house really is lovely." Tandy tried, hoping to change the subject as she looked around the patio area.

"It is, it's gorgeous." Juliette agreed.

"Thank you." Rayna smiled. "You know, we wanted somethin' we both liked…and this seemed to be it."

"Uncle Deacon, I take it back…Your taste ain't so bad after all." Scarlett chirped.

"Well, it ain't the cabin." Deacon sighed, feigning disappointment.

"And it's not Belle Meade." Rayna added.

"But it'll do I guess." Deacon joked, quickly leaning over to kiss Rayna's temple. She swatted his leg playfully.

"About time y'all settled down." Liam sighed exasperatedly.

"Did you just say y'all?" Rayna grimaced.

"I was trying it out." Liam shrugged.

"No…" Daphne shook her head, taking a bite of her sausage sandwich. "Don't do that again."

The table erupted into laughter.

"I say we toast." Juliette grinned, picking up a glass in front of her. Several others followed her lead, promptly picking up glasses.

"To what?" Deacon frowned, picking up his glass of Coke.

"New beginnings?" Tandy suggested.

"New beginnings." Juliette smiled.

Clinking of glasses, laughter and quick-witted comments travelled around the table.

"Alright, who wants dessert?" Rayna asked happily.

Everyone went silent.

Rayna rolled her eyes. "I didn't make it…Deacon and Maddie made pie."

Scarlett, Daphne and Maddie giggled.

"If that's the case…" Tandy grinned.

"We all want a piece." Liam smirked.

**- NASHVILLE - **

"I knew this day would come." Rayna sighed, hand to a hip when Deacon walked into the bedroom.

"What's that?"

Rayna shrugged, pretending to be annoyed. "The day the girls prefer to be put to bed by you over me."

"Darlin', you can put me to bed anytime." Deacon joked.

"I know it's because you give em' pizza for breakfast." Rayna raised an eyebrow.

"Once. I did that once." Deacon defended, raising his hands in the air.

"That's my side." Rayna drawled, throwing her hair into a bun as she watched Deacon collapse onto the bed.

"Since when?"

"Since the right side has always been my side…Now, scoot over."

Deacon grinned, settling back into the bed. "Mmm-Mmm."

Rayna raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she stood at the end of the bed. "Move, or I'll…"

"You'll what?" Deacon challenged, hoping that she'd crawl onto the bed so he could pull her into his arms and kiss her. Rayna read his eyes and smirked.

"…Keep unpackin' boxes…" Rayna replied, promptly turning on her heel to walk over to one of the many boxes lined against the wall. She heard Deacon groan and she giggled.

"Ok, fine. I'll move." Deacon said frenziedly, gracelessly shuffling to the other side of the bed.

"No, no." Rayna teased, intentionally keeping her back to him as she opened a box. "You stay right there…I won't be comin' up to bed for a while now so…"

"Rayna."

"You started this, not me." She hummed, lazily pulling things out of the box as she sat on the floor.

Deacon smirked. He quietly slid off the bed and tip toed over to Rayna. Slowly, he crouched behind her, tentatively running his fingers down her arms. Rayna jumped, swallowing the squeal that threatened to escape her mouth.

"Come to bed." Deacon whispered against her shoulder, hoping to persuade her to stopping being so stubborn. She shivered and he smiled. She was desperately trying to ignore what her body wanted, and he knew it. His voice was uneven and low. "Please, Ray…."

Rayna rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Me comin' on up there sounds like it's only gonna benefit you."

"I'll make it worth your while…" Deacon murmured, kissing her neck. "I promise-"

"-Hey, look at this!" Rayna cried, pulling an envelope out of the box. Deacon squeezed his eyes shut in frustration when she freed herself from his arms and jumped onto the bed. She tipped the envelope upside down and photographs tumbled out in every which direction. "Look! Babe, come look."

"What are they?" Deacon asked, settling on the bed next to her.

"Remember that shoot for People Country, like last year?"

"Yeah."

"Well, these are some of the proofs."

Deacon smiled, picking a photograph up. He narrowed his eyes. "These are all of us."

"I know." Rayna smiled coyly, resting her head on his shoulder. Deacon laughed and Rayna looked up at him. "What?"

"I remember this day." Deacon recalled, tapping the photo on Rayna's knee. "You and me, we weren't talkin', well I wasn't talkin'…But I, I couldn't take my eyes off you."

Rayna made a face. "Oh, get outta here."

"You looked incredible."

Rayna took the photograph out of his hand and smiled. It was the one that she'd seen on the computer monitor, the one that all the assistants had been fixated on.

"I wasn't lyin' when I told the girls you are the prettiest lady in the whole wide world." Deacon smiled affectionately.

Rayna scrunched up her face.

"I'd always hoped, but honestly…I never thought that you and I would have a place of our own…I never thought we'd be doin' this…sittin' here, just you and me with the girls sleepin' downstairs and all."

"Me neither."

"Ray, you are who I want, I don't want anyone else. I love the girls, and hell, I love you…I'm in love with you." Deacon spoke softly, his tone rough and sincere.

Rayna paused, leaning away from him to get a better look. "You're just sayin' that because you wanna get laid."

"I'm sayin' it because it's true." Deacon spoke surely, brushing her cheek with his fingers. "I mean it."

"I love you." Rayna giggled, tugging at his shirt to pull him in for a kiss. "I mean it."

Promptly, Deacon brushed the photographs aside and laid her down. He hovered above Rayna, kissing her hard as she shifted under his weight. Deacon pulled away to let her move. He met her gaze as he rested his forehead against hers. Her eyes matched his; they were filled with longing and desire. Rayna could feel his body rapidly responding to his, and it made her head spin.

"To new beginnings." She giggled, running her hands up his back when he bent down to kiss her.

"To new beginnings." Deacon mimicked, laughing into the kiss when she reached for him again.

His hands trailed her body, and the heat between them intensified with every kiss. Deacon moved to pull her t-shirt over her head, but Rayna stopped him. Deacon frowned, breathing heavily as he looked down at her.

"Mmm, babe…Before I forget, you're takin' Maddie to her soccer game tomorrow. No way am I gettin' up early."

"Is that right?" Deacon smirked, shifting his weight on his elbows.

"Mmhmm." Rayna nodded. "I plan on sleepin' in."

"If that's the case, I think I should be the one who get's to benefit most out of what's about to go down here…." Deacon replied confidently.

"Go down?" Rayna giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hands. "Babe, real subtle."

They both laughed.

"I could be a whole lot less subtle.."

"I'm sure you could."

* * *

**- FOR SHINY JEWEL & MOONLIGHTGARDENIAS -**


End file.
